BRITISH COLUMBIA – Thompson-Okanagan region will soon have access to quicker, more reliable internet through a joint investment by Canada and British Columbia to bring fibre-optic connectivity to more rural and Indigenous communities.
Through the Connecting Communities BC program and the federal Universal Broadband Fund, $63 million will support the construction of a new fibre-optic network serving nearly 4,000 households in 50 communities. The $63-million fund is part of a larger federal and provincial investment to improve network capacity and help close connectivity gaps for rural and Indigenous residents.
The new fibre-optic network will create a dedicated, high-capacity connection in the Thompson-Okanagan region.
Telus will lead the design and construction of the fibre-optic network, with completion anticipated in 2029. The project will reach 50 communities, including Okanagan 1, Rock Creek, Sorrento, Falkland, Chase (Rural), Kettle Valley and Westbridge, areas where geography and distance have historically limited access to reliable internet.
In March 2022, the governments of British Columbia and Canada announced a partnership to invest $830 million to expand high-speed internet services.
The Connecting Communities BC program supports projects like this to expand high-speed internet access to rural and remote areas.
The Telus project will bring fibre internet to homes in 22 communities, including three Indigenous communities in the northern Okanagan area, serving 1,946 households.
The Telus project is anticipated to bring fibre internet to homes in 28 communities, including eight Indigenous communities in the Thompson-Okanagan and Lower Mainland-southwestern B.C. areas of the province, serving 2,013 households.
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