Telus and Doig River First Nation, in partnership with All Nations Trust Company (ANTCO), the governments of Canada and British Columbia, and the Northern Development Initiative Trust, last week announced ground has been broken on a $19.2-million project that will soon bring Telus PureFibre to several remote communities in Northeast B.C.
The PureFibre expansion project will connect more than 60 households and a dozen businesses in Doig River First Nation, located approximately 70 kilometres northeast of Fort St. John, as well as hundreds of households in another 14 communities, according to a Telus press release.
“This project moves us one step closer to a future where all Indigenous communities can leverage connectivity to achieve their unique goals and drive long-term prosperity,” Shazia Zeb Sobani, vice president of customer network planning at Telus, said in the release. “We are committed to continuing to work closely with Indigenous, federal, provincial and local governments to enhance access to our world-leading technology, so that everyone, no matter where they live in Canada, can access the tools they need to realize their full potential and shape their social and economic outcomes more favourably.”
Currently, more than 16,000 households in more than 90 indigenous communities in B.C. have access to Telus PureFibre, the Vancouver-based telecom says in its release.
“This project is much more than a technology installation — it is a beacon of future possibilities for our community,” Doig River First Nation Chief Trevor Makadahay said in a statement. “As we continue to develop our nation, empower our youth and connect with our elders, we see technology being required more and more. We need to be able to participate meaningfully in our culture, heritage and the opportunity that is ever present across the region. We are excited to see this project come to fruition as we work together towards a better tomorrow for our members. At milestone moments, such as this, we thank our elders and all those who came before, laying the groundwork for the successful present and future we will undoubtedly create.”
The new fibre infrastructure will also serve as the backbone for Telus’s wireless network, laying the groundwork for 5G technologies in the years to come in the region, the press release says.
“This build is an example of the need to be futuristic in meeting First Nations communities’ needs for more reliable internet,” said Ruth Williams, Pathways to Technology project manager for ANTCO, an indigenous-owned financial institution in B.C. “In 2011, Doig River First Nation was one of the first communities connected to broadband by Pathways to Technology. TELUS has been a long-term partner with the Pathways project, and we are pleased to contribute financially to this fibre upgrade.”
“High-speed internet is essential for economic development and diversification in rural communities,” said Joel McKay, CEO of Northern Development Initiative Trust. “We’re pleased to provide funding to TELUS to initiate these improvements on Doig River First Nation, and we thank our partner, the Province of B.C., for enabling and supporting these types of investments in rural British Columbia — they’re a game changer.”
“High-speed internet is more than a luxury, it’s a necessity,” said Gudie Hutchings, federal minister of rural economic development. “Working with TELUS, your federal government is bringing high-speed internet to every home in British Columbia by 2027. In today’s digital world, communities big and small need reliable internet access, whether it’s for accessing healthcare or growing a business.”
