There’s no question what Timmins mayor George Pirie thinks is the best chance to boost internet capacity right across the north: the Starlink satellite system being developed by a company owned by Elon Musk.
In May, Timmins will host a virtual conference of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities, which wants the region to be used for beta testing. Pirie says he’s trying to get Musk to be a keynote speaker.
“We think that we’ve got a real good opportunity to have him,” the mayor adds. “If we’re going to be successful, we need internet service.
Pirie notes that the federal government is also being lobbied to improve internet service up here. “It’s been promised for a lot of years. That’s why we’re a big backer of that high-speed internet. And we want to get Elon Musk as the keynote speaker, amongst others.”
Of course, Musk wouldn’t be physically in Timmins. His appearance would be virtual.