Connected Coast is a multi-government project to bring high-speed internet to rural remote and First Nations coastal communities.
Once completed, 139 rural and remote communities, including 48 Indigenous communities representing 44 First Nations, will have access to fibre optic internet, according to the application licence #2412715 that includes Westview Harbour to Van Anda. The province has now approved the application and has issued tenure to the company CityWest. According to the application, "it is for a licence of occupation with the potential to lead to a statutory right of way for a term of 10 to 30 years. This application covers the Upper Sunshine Coast section of the project, from Lund to Pope Landing."
As of October 2024, approximately 96 per cent of the necessary permits have been secured, according to Connect the Coast estimations. The ambitious project, which will bring high-speed internet to regions such as qathet and other coastal communities, will cost an estimated $45.4 million. Funding is secured through provincial and federal government programs.
The project involves laying 3,400 kilometres of subsea fiber-optic cable from Prince Rupert to Vancouver, connecting to existing infrastructure, according to the Connect the Coast website.
Although CityWest's application was approved, some sites have been removed after community consultation.
According to application details: Referrals to other agencies raised site specific issues with the following landing site locations: Myrtle Point, Barney Bay and Brew Bay. As a result those sites were removed from the application.
Sensitive habitat sites within Agamemnon Channel are being avoided and potential impacts mitigated through rerouting of the fibre optic line to address potential environmental impacts identified.
"Crews on the water will continue to deploy cable, while network activation activities commence at newly built landing sites,” the Connect the Coast website states. “Services will become available at these landing sites over the coming months. The project’s full completion and activation is on track for March 2025.”
To see an interactive map of the project around Westview’s south harbour, go to connectedcoast.ca/map.
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