Several East Kootenay communities stand to benefit from the federal governent’s latest investment toward providing high speed internet to rural BC communities.
The federal and provincial governments are announcing $108-million to improve high speed internet and mobile connectivity.
This builds on an existing agreement between the two governments which was announced in March with a pledge to invest up to $830-million toward ensuring 100% connectivity in the province by 2030.
This latest announcement will support connectivity improvement efforts in Elko, Fort Steele, Skookumchuck, Ta Ta Creek, Tie Lake and Wardner locally.
This investment will help with improved connectivity at more than 14,000 BC homes, find more information from the federal government below:
Today, the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development, together with the Honourable Lisa Beare, British Columbia Minister of Citizens’ Services, announced up to $108 million in combined federal and provincial funding to bring high-speed Internet access to up to 14,000 households and mobile connectivity to seven communities in rural British Columbia, including First Nations communities.
These projects are part of an existing agreement between British Columbia and Canada. On March 8, 2022, both governments announced a historic partnership to invest up to $830 million to provide all British Columbians in rural, remote and Indigenous communities with access to high-speed Internet. The governments of Canada and British Columbia will continue to announce projects selected under this agreement over the coming months.
Today’s announcement builds on the Government of Canada’s progress toward ensuring that 98% of Canadians have access to high-speed Internet by 2026, and 100% by 2030. British Columbia’s plan accelerates this work, with a provincial target of 100% of B.C. communities connected by 2027. The governments of Canada and British Columbia recognize the important role that high-speed Internet and mobile connectivity will have in economic recovery from the pandemic. Collaborating to provide better Internet and mobile services to British Columbians living in rural, remote and Indigenous communities will contribute to the economic growth of the entire province.
Find a list of communities included in this $180-million investment below:
On May 19, 2022, the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development, together with the Honourable Lisa Beare, British Columbia Minister of Citizens’ Services, announced up to $108 million in combined federal and provincial funding to bring high-speed Internet access and mobile connectivity to rural communities throughout British Columbia, including First Nations communities.
The communities that will benefit from improved Internet speeds include:
- Appledale
- Baynes Lake
- Blaeberry
- Boothroyd
- Bridge River
- Burton
- Carrolls Landing
- Cayoose Creek
- Cheslatta Carrier Nation
- Chetwynd
- Crawford Bay
- Danskin
- Dease Lake
- Decker Lake
- Dokie Siding
- Donald
- Elko
- Erie
- Fauquier
- Field
- Fort Fraser
- Fort Steele
- Galiano Island
- Gillies Bay
- Gitwinksihlkw (Nisga’a Village of Gitwinksihlkw)
- Grasmere
- Grassy Plains
- Hagwilget (Hagwilget Village)
- Hall
- Harrogate
- Hills
- Holberg
- Iskut
- Kanaka Bar
- Keats Island
- Kootenay Bay
- Kragmont
- Kyuquot (Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k:tles7et’h’ First Nations)
- Laxgalts’ap (Nisga’a Village of Laxgalts’ap)
- Lebahdo
- Lemon Creek
- Lillooet
- Lower Hat Creek 2 (Bonaparte)
- Lytton
- Mapes
- Mahatta River
- Mayook
- Meadowbrook
- Meadows
- McLeod Lake
- Nadleh Whuten
- Nass Camp
- Nee-Tahi-Buhn
- Nelway
- New Aiyansh (Nisga’a Village of New Aiyansh)
- New Brighton
- Nisga’a Village of Gingolx
- New Hazelton
- Nicomen
- Nulki
- Park Siding
- Parson
- Passmore
- Pavilion (Ts’kw’aylaxw First Nation)
- Perrys
- Rosebery
- Round Lake
- Saik’uz First Nation
- Saturna
- Seton Lake
- Seton Portage
- Shalalth (Tsal’alh)
- Silverton
- Siska
- Skin Tyee
- Skookumchuck
- Skuppah
- Slocan Park
- Southbank
- South Shalalth
- Spillimacheen
- Spuzzum
- Stellat’en First Nation
- Summit Lake
- Sweetwater
- Ta Ta Creek
- Tatalrose
- Telegraph Cove
- Tie Lake
- T’it’q’et
- Tobacco Plains
- Ts’kw’aylaxw
- Twidwell Bend
- Upper Hat Creek 1 (Bonaparte)
- Vallican
- Van Anda
- Wabi Hill
- Walkers
- Wardner
- Wet’suwet’en Village (Wet’suwet’en First Nation)
- Winlaw
- Winter Harbour
- Wynndel
- Xaxli’p
- Ymir
The communities that will benefit from improved mobile connectivity include:
- Gitwinksihlkw (Nisga’a Village of Gitwinksihlkw)
- Laxgalts’ap (Nisga’a Village of Laxgalts’ap)
- Nass Camp
- New Aiyansh (Nisga’a Village of New Aiyansh)
- Nisga’a Village of Gingolx
- Nooaitch
- Shackan