B.C. promises $5.5M for improved internet on Denman Island, Hornby Island
Faster internet connection is coming to Denman Island and Hornby Island, the province announced Thursday.
The B.C. government has earmarked up to $3.26 million to upgrade internet services on Denman Island, while another $2.38 million has been reserved for improving internet access on Hornby Island.
"We are moving toward a future where people in communities up and down the coast have the same level of internet services being offered in urban centres like Vancouver and Victoria," said B.C. Minister of Citizens' Services Lisa Beare in a statement Thursday.
Approximately 1,350 households are expected to benefit from the internet upgrades on both islands, according to the province.
Health care is also expected to improve once the projects complete.
"Our staff often work in isolation in empty or marginal pockets of internet and cellular reception," said Lori Nawrot, executive director of the Hornby and Denman Community Health Care Society.
"Improved service will make our jobs safer and expand our options for online training and certification, crucial for the recruitment of new staff," she said.
The province adds that residents on Denman Island and Hornby Island will also have access to direct fibre connection once the "connected coast" internet project wraps up.
The $45.4 million project is centred on the construction of a subsea fibre-optic network in the Strathcona Regional District, which will also include access points along B.C.'s coast.
The connected coast project is being funded by both the provincial and federal governments, with access points planned for the Gulf Islands, Haida Gwaii and around Vancouver Island.
The province did not provide a timeline Thursday for when the internet improvement projects would be completed for Denman Island and Hornby Island.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Another suspect arrested in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist: police
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Trump hush money trial: Play-by-play on Day 2 of Stormy Daniels testimony
Adult film star Stormy Daniels took the stand for a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump's hush money case continues in Manhattan.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street
B.C. wildfires likely to spread with weekend temperatures expected to soar, province says
Wildfire and emergency management officials in British Columbia are urging residents to be prepared for increased fire activity as temperatures are expected to soar above 30 C in parts of the province this weekend.
Wilfrid Laurier football player drafted despite only playing 27 games in his entire life
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.