Rural Economic Development Minister Maryam Monsef has announced the construction of a 40km fibre-optic line between Whistler and Mount Currie, B.C.
A total of $5.6 million has been allocated for the project, which is expected to be completed next month. The government notes that over $2 million of the funding is being provided through its Connect to Innovate program.
Over $1.9 million is coming from the provincial government, and $1.6 million in funding is being provided by Shaw Communications.
“We began this work pre-pandemic and will accelerate our efforts moving forward. This project will provide critical backbone infrastructure to improve connectivity in underserved communities and First Nations in rural B.C.,” Monsef said in a news release.
The government notes that this project will result in increased connectivity speeds in the Mount Currie and Lil’wat Nation while also providing connectivity to the Ts’zil learning centre.
“This new fibre line will go past Lil’wat Nation and will provide choice and redundancy, as well as access to the Shaw services to support phone, Internet and other broadband services,” said Lil’wat Nation Chief Dean Nelson in the news release.
Further, the government outlines that future construction will benefit several other communities along the total 125km fibre-optic line route all the way to Cache Creek.
The government says that by the end of 2021, its Connect to Innovate program will help 750 communities and 250,000 households get access to improved internet speeds.
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