County council is expected tonight to apply for a second round of Connecting Dufferin funding to extend broadband internet services to most of the rural areas that weren't connected in the first round.

The areas without service are largely in the hilly terrain of the county, such as Mono and Mulmur, where wireless is not a practical option, and Mono has been quietly planning its own separate application for funding under the same program.

In fact, says Mayor Lorie Haddock, Mono has been working toward a wired solution on and off for the past eight years, and closely with Bell Alliant official Pete Renshaw in recent months. She said the county's initial application (in October 2007) was based largely on background developed by Mono.

The mayor considers there's urgency to the Town's application, and does not consider there's a conflict with two coincident applications being filed from within the same county.

Mono residents have long been awaiting access to high-speed internet. "It's one of the biggest bones of contention." She added that the consultants have discussed the coincidence of applications with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) and the ministry appears to understand the necessity.

In a report to be considered by the council tonight, IT manager Jason Hall says the county would work with Mono's consultants "to help with providing information to avoid confusion with two applications being submitted to the Province."

owned subsidiary of Bell Canada dedicated to providing Internet services to rural areas.