REGINA – SaskTel, SaskPower and Cameco have announced a new joint venture to provide a new fibre network and power facilities to northeastern Saskatchewan.
The companies’ 566 km-long Northern Fibre Expansion project provides new fibre placement by SaskTel and SaskPower, making new SaskTel services available for northern Saskatchewan, as well as high-speed bandwidth for Cameco’s operating sites from La Ronge to Collins Bay. The total communications cost of the project is valued at $29.6 million. Cameco, one of the world’s largest uranium producers, has agreed to provide $8 million to SaskTel for the project.
“Bringing fibre to the northeast will ensure that residents and businesses have access to world class communications infrastructure,” said Don McMorris, Minister responsible for SaskTel, in a release. “This is an example of how we can work together with the private sector to ensure the continued prosperity of Saskatchewan and build on the Saskatchewan advantage.”
“SaskTel realizes that high-speed broadband capacity has become a critical component of business operations in northeastern Saskatchewan and fibre is necessary to meet the expected demand,” said Ron Styles, SaskTel president and CEO. “This fibre build will open the northeast to a number of new SaskTel services including gigabit transport to mines and 5 Mbps service to residents resulting in substantial communications support for economic development.”
