HARTLEY BAY, B.C. — Independent telecom company CityWest and the Gitga’at Development Corporation, on behalf of its shareholder Gitga’at First Nation, announced yesterday a partnership agreement to jointly create a new company to bring improved Internet services to the Nation located on the north coast of B.C.
The new company, CityWest Gitga’at Communications Corp., “will jointly manage a leg of the Connected Coast project between Hartley Bay and Kitimat, which will ensure community members have access to a state-of-the-art fibre-to-the-home network, bringing them advanced Internet, TV, and phone services,” reads a press release.
CityWest Gitga’at Communications will also provide last mile services into the community of Hartley Bay, the release says.
In addition, the new company will re-invest a portion of its profits into Gitga’at communities, according to the release.
“The Connected Coast project will bring tremendous opportunities for our membership. Through this partnership, and the long-term nature of the relationship, we will see both revenues and opportunities which will directly benefit Gitga’at First Nation and its members,” said Paul Paterson, CEO of Gitga’at Management, in the release.
As Cartt.ca reported recently, construction on the Connected Coast project is now underway. The project is funded by the federal and provincial governments and is co-managed by CityWest and the Strathcona Regional District.
The remote community of Hartley Bay “will be connected to the world through the Connected Coast network, an undersea cable project that will bring backbone bandwidth to 139 rural and remote coastal communities along the B.C. coast, as well as around Vancouver Island,” explains the press release.
“We see this partnership as just the beginning of a strong relationship with the Gitga’at Nation, a group that we hold in the highest regard,” said Stefan Woloszyn, CEO of CityWest.
“Their entrepreneurial spirit and enthusiastic approach to business opportunities fits perfectly with the vision and values of our company, and we’re excited about the many new adventures we’ll have with our new partners.”
