CALGARY – Canadian Fiber Optics said Thursday that it will lead a $4.9M project to install 40 km of fibre network throughout the remote Haida Gwaii region (formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands) in British Columbia.
The Calgary-based company said that the new fibre network will enable internet connectivity for over 630 homes and 39 institutions, including schools, medical centres, fire halls, indigenous resource centers, and businesses. A 12 km portion of the fibre network will be a subsea installation to connect the two main islands, allowing greater access for the town of Sandspit and its airport.
The project is taking place in partnership with Gwaii Communications, which will own and operate the network, and is expected to be complete in the spring of 2019.
Canadian Fiber Optics added that it has led various fibre installations throughout Alberta and B.C. and is currently in the final stages of completing a 225 km fibre build in Alberta's Montney region, south of Grande Prairie, to service oil, gas and industrial clients.
"We are beyond thrilled to expand our expertise to other remote regions, such as Haida Gwaii, where the communities stand to benefit tremendously from the upgrade", said Canadian Fiber Optics co-founder and managing director Arjen Kaput, in the news release.
“The build is significant for the communities since a great number of people currently have either very limited and expensive service, or no internet connectivity at all", added Joe Lavoie, managing director at Gwaii Communications.
