First-of-its-kind transpacific undersea cable to connect Vancouver Island and Japan

The new subsea line, called Topaz, will be the first-ever fibre-optic cable between Canada and Asia, according to Google. (Google)

Internet giant Google says a new undersea cable connecting Vancouver Island with Japan will allow faster access to services like Gmail and YouTube when it begins operating next year.

The new subsea line, called Topaz, will be the first-ever fibre-optic cable between Canada and Asia, the company said in a statement announcing the project Wednesday.

About the width of a garden hose, the cable will stretch along the Pacific Ocean floor between Port Alberni, B.C., and the Japanese prefectures of Mie and Ibaraki.

Vancouver Island First Nations, including the Tseshaht, Maa-nulth and Hupacasath, issued statements of support for the project and Google says the nations were consulted "every step of the way."

"Tseshaht is very proud of this collaboration and our partnership with Google, who has been very respectful and thoughtful in its engagement with our nation," said Tseshaht Chief Councillor Ken Watts in a statement.

"That’s how we carry ourselves and that's how we want business to carry themselves in our territory," he added.

Chief Charlie Cootes of the Maa-nulth Treaty Society said the five nations of the society reached an agreement with Google and consented to laying the cable through the nations' traditional territories.

"This agreement, in which both Google Canada and our nations benefit, is based on respect for our constitutionally protected treaty and Aboriginal rights and enhances the process of reconciliation," Cootes said.

"We would also like to acknowledge the sensitivity that Google Canada expressed during our talks in regard to the pain and trauma experienced by our people as a result of residential school experience," he added. "We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with Google Canada."

Chief Councillor Brandy Lauder of the Hupacasath First Nation said Google's relationship with the nation "has good energy behind it."

Google says the Topaz cable will house 16 fibre-optic pairs, with a total capacity of 240 terabits per second with advanced traffic flexibility and resilience when it opens in 2023.