New EORN Permit Pilot Program, in Partnership with Transnomis, to Support the Achievement of AHSIP Goals

(Belleville, ON) – The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) is excited to announce the launch of the EORN Permit Pilot, a groundbreaking program aimed at supporting municipalities and internet service providers (ISPs) through improved permitting processes as they deliver rural broadband connectivity in eastern Ontario as part of the Accelerated High-Speed Internet Program (AHSIP). This initiative is being worked on in collaboration with Transnomis, a leader in advanced cloud-based road communications and road permitting solutions, making use of their innovative Permit Central platform.

"We are thrilled to partner with Transnomis and leverage their Permit Central platform in this innovative venture,” says Pierre Leroux, Chair of EORN. “The pilot’s focus is to support municipalities and ISPs during the province’s initiative to expand rural connectivity throughout Ontario. This collaboration will significantly contribute to improving the permitting process during the ongoing efforts to bring reliable internet access to our communities."

The EORN Permit Pilot is currently limited to AHSIP related applications, specifically on municipal consent and work in right of way (ROW) permitting. Permit Central's efficiency in streamlining the permitting process and promoting collaboration between municipalities and ISPs will assist both municipalities and ISPs to meet crucial permitting timelines, which is an important component needed to advance AHSIP's goals of widespread, reliable internet access in rural areas by 2025.

Permit Central, powered by Transnomis, is a digital road permit platform that helps government agencies streamline their permitting processes and significantly reduce processing times and administrative costs.

Since its soft launch in Lanark County and Haliburton County on August 1, 2023, the EORN Permit Pilot has shown significant potential. Its expansion to other lower-tier municipalities in eastern Ontario, coupled with the expected increase in permit applications from telecommunications service providers will accelerate the deployment of vital connectivity infrastructure in rural areas.

"At Transnomis, we are dedicated to helping communities manage traffic issues and share information through innovative solutions,” says Simon Foo, CEO and Founder of Transnomis. “Our collaboration with EORN in the permit pilot program represents a strong alignment with our vision of connected and supported communities."
 
Municipalities participating in the pilot incur no fees and are not required to subscribe to Transnomis services. EORN collects fees from applicants with each application and redistributes these contributions to municipalities, deducting a service fee.

EORN invites municipalities to engage with this program and leverage the benefits of Permit Central. Municipal leaders are encouraged to reach out to EORN for more information and to discuss how the permit pilot can be integrated into their communities.

About EORN

The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving rural connectivity, supporting economic growth and enhancing quality of life. Created by the Eastern Ontario Wardens' Caucus, EORN helps to create innovative public-private partnerships to address the digital divide and support a stronger future for rural eastern Ontario communities. Learn more at www.eorn.ca