B.C. funds improved internet service for Haida Gwaii, Texada Island
Faster and more reliable internet service is coming to Haida Gwaii and Texada Island due in part to a B.C. government grant program.
The province says it will provide more than $200,000 to the Gillies Bay Internet Society on Texada Island to improve internet speeds and reliability. The society is a non-profit internet provider run by local volunteers to bring wireless internet access to Texada Island.
"People in Gillies Bay on Texada Island will see improved internet speeds, thanks to the work of volunteers in their own community," said Lisa Beare, Minister of Citizens’ Services, in a statement Thursday.
"This project, supported by a grant from the Connecting British Columbia program, is a wonderful example of what can be achieved when communities, service providers, the province and people volunteering their time are all driven and working together to improve people’s lives," Beare added.
Society chairman Brian Seymour says the island has become popular with people looking to move out of cities.
"However, people only want to move to locations with fast, reliable internet, so that they can work from home or start an online business," Seymour said. "The ability to function online is also essential for remote schooling, shopping and for staying connected with family and friends."
The Texada Island internet improvement project is expected to be completed this fall with faster, more reliable connectivity by the end of October.
Two projects on Haida Gwaii will received more than $850,000 combined to improve internet connections in the communities of Tow Hill, Tlell, Nadu and Dead Tree Point.
"When you improve internet services in a community, you also improve the lives of the people who live there," said Stefan Woloszyn, CEO of internet provider CityWest, which is leading both projects. "The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of solid and reliable internet services, especially in rural and remote communities, and we’re looking forward to serving customers on Haida Gwaii."
This funding for the Connecting British Columbia program is part of the province's $10-billion COVID-19 response.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'