Winter 2023 Update

 

CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS

The Connected Coast project will bring high-speed internet to approximately 139 rural and remote communities, including 48 First Nations communities, along the B.C. coast from north of Prince Rupert to Haida Gwaii, south to Vancouver and to Vancouver Island.

Construction of the $45.4 million project is approximately 60% complete with close to 1,100 kilometres of fibre-optic cable laid.

We are excited to share that there has been lots of progress! 

• Permitting is now underway for the entire west coast of Vancouver Island

• Cable lay and construction will be occurring between Campbell River and Port Hardy
this month

• Fibre optic Link to Haida Gwaii is in final stages of commissioning and handover from
our design builder

• Network testing is ongoing along other portions of the network, stay tuned for further updates of our commissioning and handover activities

Communities with completed last mile build infrastructure will soon experience high-speed internet connectivity.

NEW INTERACTIVE BUILD STATUS MAP

A NEW interactive map can now be viewed online.  Users can follow along and see the current build status on specific locations, search the status of specific landing sites and  zoom in for more details.

Follow the construction journey by viewing our NEW Interactive Build Status map at www.connectedcoast.ca/map

 

 

MARINER SIGNAGE

Signage alerting mariners of the new fibre cable network on BC’s seafloor has been created and posted in high-traffic dock locations.

Stay Informed

✅ CHECK UPDATES on CHS charts

✅DOWNLOAD live route files from our website

Interested in helping spread the word? 
View & download the signage on our website to print & share with others.

 

 

 

CABLE LOCATION – KMZ (GOOLE EARTH) & GPX FILES 

As-built cable location files in KMZ (Google Earth file format) & GPX (navigation file) are now available online with recent updates.

Please fill out the form on our website to receive a copy and future mapping updates.

 

 

ISP’s and Reseller Process

The Connected Coast Network (CCN) is built, owned, maintained & operated under a partnership (CCN Partnership) between City West Management Corp. (CW) and Strathcona Regional District. CW, as the managing partner, primarily is responsible for all aspects of design, commissioning, maintenance and support of network infrastructure, services and third-party agreements.

In accordance with government policy, funding agreements with Canada (i.e., ISED and ISC) and the Province (i.e., NDIT), and with the objective to maximize benefits for communities proximate to the CCN, the CCN Partnership is committed to open access and collaboration with other internet service providers (ISPs) & resellers. The CCN Partnership recognizes its responsibility to operate the CCN in a manner that protects stakeholder interests by providing reliable & affordable network services to coastal and northern BC communities, delivered by practicing sound & sustainable business practices.

See the below links for downloads:

·         ISP/Reseller Process for Network Interconnection & Services

·         ISP/Reseller Application Form (fillable pdf)

Please contact the Connected Coast team at info@connectedcoast.ca if you have any questions or require assistance with your submission.

 

 

LAST-MILE PARTNERSHIPS

The Connected Coast Project team continues to work with communities, First Nations, and Internet Service Providers (ISP’s) to plan for future fibre-optic services.

Here are the recent Last-Mile partnership announcements:

CityWest Announces Last-Mile Fibre-to-the-home Construction for Seven Vancouver Island Communities

NANOOSE BAY – Today the provincial and federal governments announced a $4.6 million funding investment for CityWest to bring high-speed Internet access to seven communities on Vancouver Island. CityWest will use the funds to build and operate a new, state-of-the-art fibre-optic network in each community. The $6.5 million projects will connect 1,200 rural and remote British Columbians with urban-class connectivity.

The communities of Telegraph Cove, Holberg, Kyuquot and Winter Harbour on northern Vancouver Island as well as the communities of Van Anda on Texada Island, Galiano Island and Saturna Island were awarded last-mile grant funding to bring improved Internet services. These projects are supported by an investment of up to $1.3 million through the Connecting British Columbia program, administered by the Northern Development Initiative Trust, alongside an up to $3.3 million investment from the Government of Canada’s Universal Broadband Fund. The estimated $6.5 million total cost of the project also includes up to $1.2 million contributed by CityWest, and up to $618,000 in other funding.

North Coast Regional District (NCRD) & CityWest Announce Joint-Partnership Agreement

The North Coast Regional District (NCRD) Board has entered into a joint-partnership agreement with CityWest to improve broadband connectivity across the region in unserved and underserved communities. The partnership is now finalized after the NCRD board resolved to enter into the partnership agreement at its meeting held on August 19, 2022.

The partnership will see CityWest services brought to unserved and underserved communities in the NCRD with a portion of the profits going back into the NCRD for community projects. CityWest has already committed to bringing their services to communities within the NCRD, which will now have a partnership agreement in place. To date, CityWest and the NCRD have plans to deliver services to Daajing Giids, Masset, Tlell, Tow Hill, Dodge Cove, and Oona River.

How Do I Get Fibre-Optic High-Speed Internet?

The Connected Coast Project will provide sub-sea high speed fibre-optic cable to communities along the BC Coast and around Vancouver Island.  Once this ‘Backbone’ fibre reaches a community, an Internet Service Provider (ISP) will connect to the fibre cable and offer internet service directly to residential and commercial properties, providing a ‘Last Mile’ connection.

 

 

Photo & Video Gallery

See the construction action as it takes place.
View photos that capture landing sites being built, sub-sea fibre being laid and watch videos and interviews of the construction crew and First Nation partners on the project website photo gallery.

 

 

Project Member – Stefan Woloszyn

Stefan Woloszyn – CityWest, Chief Executive Officer (CPA, CA)

CityWest, together with the Strathcona Regional District (SRD), are the owners of the Connected Coast Project and have partnered with the SRD as the operator of the entire 3,500km Connected Coast subsea system. This is the largest coast festoon fibre project in the world and Stefan is proud to have CityWest play a part in making it a success for British Columbians.

The project is a game changer for remote coastal communities as well as for northern B.C.’s overall redundancy. From a technological perspective, today’s world looks very different than it did just a few years ago. Look around and see that so much of our lives is now conducted online. Whether it is our jobs, education, medical and emergency needs, or simply our need for relaxation and entertainment, the requirement for access to the online world has become essential. It has changed from a want to a need.

The growing demand for access has completely tapped out available bandwidth from low bandwidth legacy systems. That’s where the Connected Coast is relevant. The system can be viewed as a huge high bandwidth superhighway, which now flows right past 139 communities on the coast, bringing the prospect of the same levels of connectivity and related opportunity that we have come to expect from the largest metropolitan cities in Canada.

In terms of redundancy, in recent years we have witnessed the devastating impacts on connectivity from landslides, forest fires and human error, especially in Northern B.C.. The Connected Coast introduces a new subsea route for traffic from the north, directly into Vancouver’s internet exchange; introducing a welcome system of resiliency that has been critically needed by municipal and First Nations communities.

The Connected Coast Project was envisioned by both the federal and provincial governments almost a decade ago. Without that vision and alignment on the objective of creating and providing connectivity for British Columbians, this project would never have come to be. CityWest is extremely grateful for the part they have played and the help they have provided when it was needed. This project involves coordination across an almost impossible 23 permitting authorities, involving every level of government, from municipal access to provincial tenures, from parks to First Nations impact assessments, from fisheries to the department of defense. It is incredibly complex to build something so large, which crosses so many jurisdictions, stakeholders and areas of interest.

Stefan Woloszyn and his family of 3 kids live in Vancouver.

 

Follow Us To Keep Up To Date On The Project!

Announcements, photos, videos, updates, fun internet and connectivity tid bits are now being posted on our Connected Coast social media channels.

Follow or like our pages to to join us on this adventure.

 

E-Subscribe

Updates are sent out quarterly, e-subscribe on www.connectedcoast.ca to receive updates in your inbox.

 

The Connected Coast project will bring new or improved high-speed internet accessibility to 139 rural and remote coastal communities, including 48 Indigenous communities – representing 44 First Nations – along the BC coast from north of Prince Rupert, to Haida Gwaii, south to Vancouver, and around Vancouver Island.  It is anticipated that this project will be completed at the end of 2023.

The Connected Coast Project is a joint venture between CityWest and the Strathcona Regional District

 

 

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