High-speed internet is making its way to 128 homes across Britannia Beach, Oliver’s Landing, and Squamish.
A dual federal and provincial announcement made earlier today (Aug. 5) revealed funding to bring high speed internet to “underserved households” in the Sea to Sky.
The announcement is part of a larger project targeting over $25 million in funding to service 1,651 households across 12 communities including the Sea to Sky Corridor.
According to a press release, the governments of Canada and B.C. announced a partnership through the creation of the Connecting Communities BC program in March 2022.
The program would invest up to $830 million to provide households in all remaining rural, remote and Indigenous communities throughout the province with access to high-speed internet.
The goal is to ensure everyone in Canada will have access to this service by 2030, with 98% of Canadian households to be connected by 2026.
As of this month, “95.8% of Canadian households have access to high-speed internet, compared to just 79% in 2014. In British Columbia, 96% of households currently have access to high-speed internet.”
“Today’s announcement is about giving people the tools they need to succeed in a digital world, no matter where they live,” Minister of Citizens’ Services Diana Gibson said in the press release.
“The province is pleased to be working in partnership with the federal government to provide high-speed Internet access to families, businesses and Indigenous communities throughout British Columbia.”
West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country MP Patrick Weiler said that all people deserve the right to have high-speed internet.
“Access to reliable high-speed internet and mobile service is no longer optional, it’s foundational … to ensure that every community—whether on the coast, in the mountains, or deep in the backcountry—has the tools to thrive.”
Squamish-Lillooet Regional District board chair, Jen Ford said that reliable internet access has “long been a top priority” for residents in Britannia Beach and Oliver’s Landing.
“Today’s announcement marks a significant step forward for rural connectivity in our region,” she said.
“This project will support everything from emergency response to education, remote work, and local economic growth. We appreciate the collaboration between all levels of government in bringing long-overdue digital infrastructure to these parts of the SLRD.”
