The Smart Systems for Health Agency (SSHA), Hydro One Telecom Inc. and Ontera, the provincial telecom arm, are joining forces to upgrade a communications network for Northern Ontario. The new infrastructure will allow participating healthcare agencies to securely share patient files, including bandwidth intensive x-rays and other diagnostic images. According to the SSHA, the network is meant to reduce patient wait-times. Hydro One is building the network core, while Ontera will connect the healthcare sites in northeastern Ontario, and TBay Tel will connect the northwestern sites.