Following some social media messaging from Friday from both the City of Prince Rupert and CityWest, many in Prince Rupert were wondering if they were one click away from losing their connection to the wired world sometime over the weekend.
As things turned out, the concerns coming from wildfire areas in the Bulkley Valley and Burns Lake regions did not bring the connections down, but the warnings did serve to give cause to wonder about the progress for the second connection to the south to be offered through the Connected Coast project.
The most recent update from late June on that work notes of cable installation taking place around the Broughton Archipelago, Johnstone Strait, Port McNeil and Port Hardy.
Two vessels are in use towards the cable laying work, the Ocean Destiry and Western Princess. They are working on landing sites at the end of Fisher Channel near Bella Bella near the Canadian Coast Guard Light station Addenbroke.
 |
| click to enlarge |
Other areas of work include Fitz Hugh Sound and Port Hardy.
The Connected Coast Build Status map (at left) or available here, indicates that a significant portion of the backbone between Vancouver and Prince Rupert has been built.
The two gaps between total connectivity between the two centres are found at the Addenbroke Lighstation area and another area between Sayward and Campbell River.
Those areas have had permits approved and are ready for installation.
The remainder of the expansion of the Connected Coast to the west coast of Vancouver Island.as well as that into the Haisla Nation are in various stages of permitting or preparation for installation.
One section of the Connect Coast project, the stretch from Lax Kw'alaams to Prince Rupert is the only one to go into service so far.
Once the system goes live up and down the coast, service interruptions from the current connection along the Highway16 corridor and to points south won't have as large an impact with the secondary access available.
As part of their messaging of Friday, it was outlined that the Connected Coast initiative should be live and serving the North by March of 2024.
That second connection is a much anticipated event for residents and commercial and industrial customers in Prince Rupert the home base for the City of Prince Rupert owned CityWest.
So with the current concerns still fresh in everyone's minds, the time might be opportune for a public update from CityWest officials.
It's been quite a while since City Council has invited the city owned communication company down to City Hall to share some information on how things are going.
Beyond the Connected Coast timeline and other local service issues, the status of distribution payments back to their investors, the residents of Prince Rupert would likely be among some topics of interest.
As well as some background towards the most recent Statement of Financial Position at CityWest, as published in the Annual Report last month.
That documents shows a reduction in net income from 2021 and no amount noted when it comes the repayment of the loan provided by the City to the communication company.
Having CityWest officials provide an update for not only the service themes, but on the focus for the company into the future should be a regular part of their engagement with their investors.
A public forum at City Council would make the easiest vehicle to make that happen.
Past notes on CityWest themes can be reviewed here.
As a Prince Rupert resident / taxpayer and shareholder in CityWest I would like to know when the plan is to connect Rupert to the new undersea fibre link?
ReplyDeleteAny project has to have a construction schedule. This question should not be hard to answer. What's the plan?
The answer was in the article. By March of next year. Clear and realistic.
DeleteWish the same could be said for our local visitors centre …….
Well that's the anticipated launch date for Connected Coast, things seem a tad behind schedule
Deletehttps://northcoastreview.blogspot.com/2021/07/connected-coast-archive.html
So a more fulsome review of the project and expectations of it and CityWest service. locally would surely be welcomed by most residents. NCR
As would a more fulsome review of the PRPA PIC/VIC project and expectations of it would surely be welcomed by most residents (and businesses)
DeleteLOL, well my guess is that residents of Prince Rupert likely have much more interest in their investment in CityWest than the delay of the visitors centre construction schedule ... but you keep rolling our your Port narratives as you wish. NCR
DeleteYou realize the PRPA is also a government agency representing taxpayers, yes?
DeleteLet’s exercise the same level of scrutiny for those who should be making good decisions in the public interest.
Not sure that warrants a laugh.
The reply was related to this constant default to the Port as somehow responsible for all of the problems facing the City and its residents ...
DeleteAgain the comment above is that residents likely would want to know more about when Connected Coast will be finished and other elements of their investment in the City owned communication company, that over when the Visitor Centre may or may not be open, the latter of less impact on local residents.
Now that's three bites at the PRPA apple for you, so I won't be responding to any more of your observations on this theme. NCR
“Let’s exercise the same level of scrutiny for those who should be making good decisions in the public interest.”
DeleteGo read the single line financials for Citywest above and ask yourself if continuing to own a phone company is a good decision for local taxpayers.
LOL, no need to respond then. But let’s see if you will continue to suppress comments in order to give yourself the last word……..
DeleteBy not responding and not putting your name to your seemingly relentless defences of the PRPA, you continue to lose credibility
DeleteThe volume of your past comments that have been approved is testimony to the lack of 'suppression.
Of course that is unless if you count your frequent use of LAWLZ as some kind of deep commentary ... I don't so, yes I 'suppress' that level of contribution, or if you become nothing but an echo chamber of your own theme on the same item ad nauseam, most folks probably get your point the first time.
For the most part you are the most vexatious correspondent the blog has!
If you (or anyone else for that matter) ever wonder why your contribution didn't make it to publication, drop us a line and we'll explain further
Northcoastreviewpr@yahoo.ca
As for my credibility, I check in with the viewer count every day, I really have no worries for my credibility ... NCR
Truly funny that ‘lawlz’ is the line you draw.
DeleteAlso, your inability to leave the last word to someone else is quite an amusing sight to behold.
Lastly, there’s a support group for bloggers who obsessively check their view counts. Want to join, or should we say, compare stats?