Telus announced Tuesday it has obtained the required permits — following a consultation process with Indigenous communities — to deploy a buried submarine cable between Sept-Îles and the Gaspé Peninsula, a major project originally announced in 2020.
Telus said in a press release it will start deploying the submarine fibre cable this fall, with commissioning of the cable expected in the weeks following its deployment. The new link is designed to ensure redundancy and network security along Quebec’s North Shore between Baie-Comeau and Lourdes-de-Blanc Sablon, Telus said.
“This new, state-of-the-art link will ultimately improve the reliability of telecommunications services on the North Shore and Lower North Shore, thanks to improved redundancy,” Telus’s press release said. “In the event of a break in the data transport network along Route 138 between Baie-Comeau and Sept-Îles, the fibre optic cable will ensure continuity of Internet, TV, and wireline and wireless services to the region’s communities.”
When the project was announced in September 2020, Telus and the federal government said it was being funded by a joint $15-million investment. On Tuesday, a Telus spokesperson told Cartt that joint investment now totals more than $20 million, with the Government of Canada’s $7.5-million contribution coming via the Connect to Innovate program.
“We are building infrastructure and deploying technology for more robust connectivity and the critical services this enables,” Darren Entwistle, Telus president and CEO, said in Tuesday’s press release. “The new submarine fibre optic cable will significantly enhance the potency and resiliency of our networks, enabling public utilities to fulfil their mission, local businesses to take full advantage of digital opportunities and families to benefit from a powerful and reliable connection. Given the increasingly severe weather events posing greater risks to connectivity, this redundant infrastructure ensures first responders and families maintain critical communications when they need them most.”
“Nowadays, the entire population of Quebec should have access to reliable and affordable high-speed Internet services,” said Buckley Belanger, Canada’s secretary of state for rural development. “The federal government’s investment, in collaboration with TELUS, will help improve network reliability for communities on the North Shore and Lower North Shore. This submarine project will create jobs, improve access to healthcare and online learning services, and maintain communication between people and their loved ones.”
