The latest expansion plans for Prince Rupert based CityWest will see the communication company join in partnership with the Council of Haida Nation, Skidegate Band Council, Old Massett Band Council.
The project, is one connect communities on Haida Gwaii to a world-class fibre-to-the-home network.
As part of today's announcement it was noted that the fibre-to-home network will be owned by the Haida Nation, and powered by CityWest fibre-optic services.
The agreement – noted as the first of its kind in the telecommunications industry –will also send a share of the new company’s profits to the Haida, resulting in a direct financial benefit to community members.
“Developing last-mile connectivity solutions will be transformative for our communities because of the many benefits that modern fibre network solutions will bring with the capacity to meet our growing needs and provide more reliable service,” Gaagwiis Jason Alsop, President of the Haida Nation.
In the stament from the today it was observed that the latest partnership will expand the Haida Nation’s governance over Internet services on Haida Gwaii and delivers on CityWest’s continuing mission to improve connectivity in underserved rural and remote communities
“We are very excited about this agreement because it’s more than a partnership – it’s an opportunity for the communities to own their connectivity destiny for many years into the future. As a company that was built in northern BC, we’re proud to have this opportunity to serve new communities in our region.” -- Stefan Woloszyn, CEO of CityWest.
The new partnership venture to be known as CityWest Haida Communications Corp. will be able to serve customers by connecting Haida Gwaii communities to the Connected Coast network, an undersea cable project that will bring backbone bandwidth to 139 rural and remote coastal communities along the BC coast.
The Connected Coast project is co-managed by CityWest and the Strathcona Regional District.
Officials noted today that the partnership will yield results very soon. The first phase of construction for Internet services – building a “drop” from the road to the home – will be starting in the next few months. Further construction updates will be released as the project commences.
More on today's announcement can be reviewed here.
As we noted yesterday, CityWest representatives were on Haida Gwaii through this week to explain how the company plans would be moving forward for residents of those communities to be served.
You can review some of CityWest's path towards expansion of service area reach from our archive page here.
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