The governments of Canada and British Columbia announced Tuesday more than $600,000 in combined funding for two CityWest projects to bring high-speed internet access to more than 140 households in the communities of sḵelhp (formerly Saltery Bay) and Lund on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast.
The funding is part of an existing agreement between the federal and B.C. governments to invest up to $830 million to connect households in all remaining rural, remote and Indigenous communities throughout the province to high-speed internet.
“These projects build 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,” an ISED press release says.
The B.C. government is investing up to $202,300 in the two projects through the Connecting British Columbia program, administered by Northern Development Initiative Trust, according to a provincial government press release in October 2023 that previously announced the funding.
The federal government is investing up to $404,700 through its Universal Broadband Fund, while service provider CityWest will contribute approximately $254,000 and the qathet Regional District will provide approximately $94,500 toward the projects, according to the province’s press release.
CityWest will begin construction on the projects in 2024, according to the release.
“CityWest specializes in serving rural and remote communities, and we’re thrilled to bring improved Internet services to even more communities in the qathet Regional District,” Stefan Woloszyn, CityWest’s CEO, said in the ISED release. “These last-mile projects are crucial to ensure that all British Columbians have access to Internet connectivity, allowing them to participate in the digital world. We would like to thank the Province of British Columbia, the Northern Development Initiative Trust and the federal government for their connectivity vision.”
