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| Fibre optic work is underway at Hartley Bay (photo from CityWest/ Connected Coast) |
In their update from Friday afternoon, CityWest and Connected Coast noted of the work previous to arrange for the fibre optic milestone.
As we outlined last November, CityWest and the Gitga’at Development Corporation jointly announced a partnership agreement, creating a new company, Gitga’at Communications Corp.
The company will jointly manage a leg of the Connected Coast project between Hartley Bay and Kitamaat Village, as well as providing last mile fibre-to-the-home services in the community of Hartley Bay.
The unique partnership structure as CityWest explains will see the company re-invest a portion of its profits into Gitga’at communities, while also giving community members more influence over their connectivity needs.
For the Gitga'at the progress is a welcome addition for the community.
“It’s great to see the project progressing. It’s also great to be able to directly contribute to the Connected Coast project through the use of the Gitga’at Transporter and the Ocean Destiny in laying the submerged fibre for a number of sections. The very real and very positive impacts of the Connected Coast project to the remote Indigenous communities of B.C. will be measured in decades, not just years, and will impact the lives of thousands of people.” -- Paul Paterson, CEO of Gitga’at Management
The arrival in Hartley Bay gave CityWest CEO Stefan Woloszyn opportunity to note of the timeline ahead for the project.
“It is truly exciting to see this large project moving into its tangible phase of development, having passed through a significant portion of the stakeholder engagement and permitting related processes. This now clears the way for a summer of significant cable laying along the Coast of British Columbia. We are humbled to be a partner of the Gitga’at Nation and we would like to express our thanks the Province of B.C., the Federal Government as well as Indigenous Service Canada for their vision on ensuring that coastal communities are able to unlock their connectivity aspirations though best in class Internet connectivity.”
The work on Hartley Bay follows a busy four months for Connected Coast in many communities on the North Coast.
After hitting the 50km milestone in late January, fibre has been connected at shore landings in Oona River, Kitkatla, Bonilla Island, Tom Island, and Hartley Bay. Fibre had previously been laid at shore landings in Lax Kw’alaams, Metlakatla, Dodge Cove, and Ridley Island.
As part of the work of fibre installation, before the fibre-optic cabling was laid in the water, shoreline cabinets were constructed in each of the communities: this is the access point for each community, where their local network connects to the subsea network.
As part of Friday's announcement, North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice noted of the importance of the project for coastal communities in the region.
“Connectivity is essential to people living in remote communities like Hartley Bay. Access to high-speed Internet not only helps these communities stay connected, but also allows them to participate in the local economy and ensures reliable access to services such as telehealth and e-learnining. Our government is pleased to be able to help fund this project, which will improve the lives of people in my region and along the coast.”
As the next few months come along the timeline for other communities of the North and Central Coasts as well as Haida Gwaii looks as follows:
With work ahead for Klemtu, Bella Bella, Martin Valley, Ocean Fall, Bella Coola, and Tlell, along with other strategic locations in between. The Tlell and Bella Coola landing sites will be the access points to across points for fibre-optic services across Haida Gwaii and the Bella Coola Valley.
More on Friday's announcement can be reviewed here.
Further items of note on CityWest can be examined here.
While the full overview of the Connected Coast project is available here.
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