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High Speed Internet Arrives Soon to SRD Communities

Via the Connected Coast Project.

The Connected Coast project, a joint venture between the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) and CityWest, will bring high-speed fibre-optic Internet to communities along the coast and around Vancouver Island, connecting 139 communities.

The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) and partner CityWest, a rural and small community telecommunication specialist, has secured financing and in some communities has been awarded grant funding to build the last mile infrastructure necessary to get the fibre from the Connected Coast landing sites to homes and businesses in the Strathcona Regional District.

CityWest will bring urban-quality and reliable Internet, phone and television services to SRD residents. Their high-speed Internet, TV and phone services will be delivered through the communities of Quadra Island, Cortes  Island, Tahsis, Gold River, Zeballos, Ehattesaht First Nation, Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k:tles7et’h’ First Nations, Walters Cove, Sayward Valley and Sayward, by connecting directly to the Connected Coast undersea fibre optic project.

Partnerships and funding for other First Nation neighbourhoods located in the SRD will also be pursued.

The subsea fibre optic link will run directly from the shore landing to homes and businesses ensuring residents a reliable, fast connection.

Within the Strathcona Regional District, construction of the last mile infrastructure to homes will begin in the summer of 2022 and the Connected Coast Network subsea cable landing installation is anticipated for 2022-2023.

‘DROPPING IN’ TO SRD COMMUNITIES

CityWest is getting ready to provide great Internet, TV and phone services to customers in Quadra Island, Cortes Island, Tahsis, Gold River, Zeballos, Ehattesaht First Nation, Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k:tles7et’h’ First Nations,
Walters Cove, Sayward Valley and Sayward. This will be brought to your door through state-of-the-art fibre to-the-home technology. As part of the construction phase of this project, CityWest will need to install an underground “drop” – which is a buried fibre-optic cable that runs from the street to your premises.

If you would like to grant permission to CityWest and its contractors to perform underground work on your property, please go to www.citywest.ca/dropping-in and fill in the form. It should only take about two minutes!

Once the construction crews arrive, they will be undertaking some work on your property to reach your home from the street. When the work is completed, all ground disturbances in your lawns and/or gardens with be returned back to its original condition.

When you get a drop, you are not under any obligation to subscribe to CityWest services now or in the future.

If you do not sign up for a drop and decide later that you would like services installed after the initial stages of construction, there will be an additional construction charge. After you have signed up for a drop, if you would like to pre-register for services, please go to www.citywest.ca/pre-register. As a thank you for signing up, CityWest will give you your first 2 months of Internet free, after your services are installed.

If you have any questions on the project, or CityWest services, please visit www.citywest.ca/dropping-in/faqs or call 1-800-442-8664 and chat with a wonderful CityWest customer service representative!

PROJECT SCHEDULE FOR SRD

• Summer 2022  |  Construction of the last mile network and home fibre drops
• 2022 – 2023  |  Construction of subsea cable
• Early 2023  |  High-speed internet services are expected to be available

FAQS & MORE INFO

Please look for an SRD – Connected Coast Spring Update in your mailbox (sent end of March 2022) which includes more information about the free home fibre installations and answers to frequently asked questions.

A digital version can be seen HERE >.