Community resources

Blue Sky Net has assembled helpful resources and links to agencies and programs that are intended to assist Northern Ontario communities within the Blue Sky Net service region. We also provide support materials and resources for the participating municipal GIS partners who utilize the road traffic counter program.

General Resources

Rural Ontario Municipal Association Broadband Connectivity – A Municipal Primer 

This primer provides a foundational briefing for municipal elected officials and their staff on the regulatory and funding regimes for telecommunications in Canada. It describes how these regimes have resulted in a digital divide between communities that are connected and those that struggle to get online. Given this context, it outlines actions that local governments can take to bring connectivity to their communities.

Click here to download the Broadband Connectivity Municipal Primer.


Rural Ontario Municipal Association Broadband Connectivity – A Municipal Roadmap

The Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) has developed a Municipal Connectivity Roadmap for municipal elected officials and staff. It includes tangible steps and initiatives for councils to consider and implement to improve connectivity if they so choose.

Click here to download the Broadband Connectivity Municipal Roadmap.


Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor) Programs

Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor) is the Government of Canada's economic development organization for Northern Ontario. Through its programs and services, and through its financial support of projects that lead to job creation and economic growth, FedNor works with businesses and community partners to build a stronger Northern Ontario.

View available programs.


Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) Programs

NOFC has multiple funding streams that may directly assist your municipal government or stakeholders in your community.

View available programs.


The Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO): A Municipal Cyber Security Toolkit

AMO's Municipal Cyber Security Toolkit highlights key considerations, provides advice and critical information for members to consider when thinking about municipal cyber security, as well as recommendations on how AMO and LAS can assist the membership in addressing potential cyberattacks.

Learn more about the cyber security toolkit at the AMO website.

Municipal GIS Partners

If you are a part of the municipal GIS group, you will have access to loan road traffic counters during the Spring, Summer, and Fall seasons (when there is no snow on the roads). Below is a list of support materials for the operation of the road traffic counters.

Please contact info@blueskynet.ca if you have questions or issues with your road counter units during their loan period.

Road Counter Support Materials

Download a copy of the Blue Sky Net Road Counter Basic Road Counter Setup PDF guide. This provides summary information about booking the road counters, basic hardware set-up and software use.


PDF Support Manuals for Road Counters

How to set-up and use the Trax Apollyon Tube and Counters (Full official PDF)

How to use the STARnext Software (Full official PDF)


Tutorials for Road Counter Use

How to set up Tubes (Text, Pictures, and video)

How to download data from road counter USB stick to STARnext software

How to download data from road counter with USB cable to STARnext software

STARnext software: Working with Tabs and Creating Reports

STARnext: Adding Titles to Reports after Count File is Processed

STARnext: Adding Report Title in Preferences