Crews are laying cable on the sea floor to better connect remote communities on Vancouver Island and the B.C. coast to the internet in a high-speed capacity. (Connected Coast)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

FIBRE OPTIC

Work underway for high speed internet connections across Gabriola & central Island

Jul 27, 2022 | 2:34 PM

NANAIMO — The laying of underwater, fibre optic cable is continuing off the coast of the central Island to better connect communities with his speed internet.

Connected Coast are behind the project, managed by the Strathcona Regional District and CityWest, and supported by senior government funding. It will see cables laid for residents on Gabriola Island before ships move up Island.

Communities from Gabriola to the Discovery Islands north of Campbell River will benefit via 26 different landing sites from the undersea highway of fibre optic.

“High-speed internet will help re-invent our small communities and improve our ability to participate in education, e-commerce, and health programs,” Brad Unger, chair of the Strathcona Regional District, said.

Connecting Gabriola Island to existing infrastructure in Vancouver will take place later this summer

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Testing on the new connection will take place immediately after and the service itself will go online if no issues are found.

The entire Connected Coast project is expected to be done in 2023 at a cost of $45.4 million and will result in more than 3,400 kilometres in cable being laid from north of Prince Rupert to all parts along the B.C. central and south coast, as well as the Sunshine Coast and the entire perimeter of Vancouver Island.

Adding this infrastructure is only considered the backbond of high-speed internet connectivity and will serve as a jumping off point for local internet service providers to make the connection for customers.

It’s expected around 175,000 people will benefit from the improved internet connectivity.

More information on the project is available at the Connected Coast website.

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