B.C. project to improve Highway 3 cell coverage between Hope and Keremeos

The B.C. government announced a new project to improve cellular coverage along Highway 3 between Hope and Keremeos.

The project will see the addition of 11 new cell towers along an estimated 93km of the highway. In a release, the B.C. government said the added towers will improve safety for users as the province works to strengthen highway infrastructure following recent flooding.

“We are working hard to expand connectivity where it’s most needed in the province,” said Lisa Beare, B.C.’s minister of citizens’ services, in the release.

“Cellular coverage along key transport routes like Highway 3 is important for both commercial and recreational travellers, as it will enable people to stay connected and to access road safety updates and important emergency services while on the road.”

The release notes that cell coverage along the described section of Highway 3 is intermittent. The coverage gaps between Hope and Manning Park, and the gaps between Princeton and Keremeos present the greatest challenge. However, the project should lead to consistent coverage along the whole route.

The provincial government will invest up to $3.1 million through the Connecting British Columbia grant program. The Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDIT) will administer the grant, which will partially fund the project’s $9.7 million cost. Rogers Communications will foot the rest of the bill.

B.C. expects the project to be completed by fall 2024.

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Source: B.C. government