The Tancook Islands, just off the coast of Chester in Mahone Bay, will soon be better connected to the mainland through Nova Scotia’s plan to bring reliable high-speed internet service to more than 180 homes and businesses.
Until now, residents of the Tancook Islands have relied on fixed wireless internet service and the province’s Satellite Internet Service Rebate Program, which was designed to support connectivity in sparsely populated areas.
PHOTO: PROVINCE OF NOVA SCOTIA
The project, part of the Internet for Nova Scotia Initiative, involves laying nearly six kilometres of submarine fibre optic cable along the ocean floor to connect Big and Little Tancook Islands with the rest of the province.
The Department of Public Works says the work will require specialized marine equipment, environmental approvals and carefully coordinated construction, noting it is the only project under the initiative to use this approach.
The project will be completed in collaboration with Build Nova Scotia and Bell.
Mark McDonald, Executive Vice-President and Chief Technology Officer at Bell, says the company “has spent decades connecting rural, remote, and hard-to-reach communities across Canada.”
So far, the government says more than 103,000 underserved locations across the province have gained access through the initiative, with fewer than 500 remaining. It says the final projects are primarily in hard-to-reach areas.
Equipment and supplies needed to install the cable are being transported by barge from Halifax Harbour to Blandford, where preparations are underway.
Work is expected to be completed in early fall.
The initiative, led by Build Nova Scotia, was established in 2018 with support from the government’s Internet Funding Trust, a nearly $2 million investment.
All projects under the initiative must meet or exceed minimum Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) broadband standards.
The CRTC states that homes and businesses across the country should have access to internet speeds of at least 50 Mbps for downloads and 10 Mbps for uploads.
According to the province, the South Shore project area, including the Tancook Islands, received about $37 million from the trust, the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg, Bell Canada, Eastlink and other partners. The project marks the final phase of internet expansion in the region.
The initiative has helped deliver reliable high-speed internet access to nearly 100 per cent of underserved homes and businesses in Nova Scotia through a mix of providers and technologies.
The government also says Nova Scotia is believed to be the first province or territory in Canada to reach that level of coverage.
