High-speed internet is coming to some of the most isolated areas of northwest B.C. and the Yukon, with a new fibre optic expansion set to improve everything from emergency response and virtual healthcare to distance education and overall quality of life.
Tahltan Communications鈥攁 partnership between the Tahltan Nation Development Corporation (TNDC) and CityWest鈥攈as announced approved funding of $14.85 million through the CRTC鈥檚 Broadband Fund to build 250 kilometres of new fibreoptic infrastructure. The expansion will extend north from Dease Lake along Hwy. 37 to Jade City, Good Hope Lake (Dease River) and Upper Liard.
鈥淭NDC is excited this expansion aims to benefit the Dease River First Nation and the Liard First Nation by offering improved virtual meetings, enhanced access to telemedicine for healthcare, and enriched educational opportunities through high-speed fibre optics, bringing the same benefits the Tahltan Nation currently enjoys,鈥� said Todd den Engelsen, CEO of TNDC.
CityWest CEO Stefan Woloszyn said the investment builds on past efforts to reach underserved regions, and represents milestone for the company extending its network beyond the province and into the Yukon
鈥淭his project means faster, more reliable connectivity for the people who live and work in some of the most remote areas of western Canada.鈥�
Tahltan Communications has already constructed over 200 kilometres of fibre cable north to Dease Lake, bringing internet-based services to homes, schools, health centres and businesses in Tahltan Territory. Those upgrades, completed last year, connected key institutions including the TNDC, Tahltan Central Government, Iskut Band Office, Klappan School and regional medical facilities. Industrial sites such as Newmont鈥檚 Red Chris and Brucejack mines also rely on the network.
The same benefits are expected to follow the new leg of construction. In addition to improving telecommunications for 113 households in the three tiny communities, the network is expected to also enhance safety and communication along remote stretches of Highway 37, which currently include one of the longest cellular dead zones in Canada.
鈥淲hile most people in Canada take high-speed internet for granted, the high-speed connectivity that our remote community now enjoys via Tahltan Communications is a game-changer, transforming the way we access services like virtual health and virtual education,鈥� said Chief Marie Quock of the Iskut Band.
Chief Richard (Rocky) Jackson of the Tahltan Band added that these communities are not just being connected for convenience, but for resilience.
"This important project ensures that even in the face of natural disasters or emergencies, our people remain connected, supported, and safe in times of need."
The new build also has the potential to support future safety infrastructure for the general public. A July 2024 investment of $195 million into Highway 37 by the provincial government included provisions for Wi-Fi access points at roadside pullouts, which the expanded fibre route may help enable.
Launched in 2019, the CRTC鈥檚 Broadband Fund was created to connect rural, remote and Indigenous communities across Canada. So far, it has improved high-speed internet and cellular service in more than 270 communities.
In its decision to award funding for the Tahltan Communications expansion project, the CRTC said the The 3Nations Society鈥攁 partnership between the Tahltan, Kaska, and Taku River Tlingit First Nations鈥攁long with the Premier of the Yukon, expressed strong support for the initiative. The 3Nations Society said its collaboration with CityWest has fostered a sense of shared purpose and expects that this united effort will play a key role in the project's success. The Premier of the Yukon added that reliable high-speed internet has the potential to unlock new economic and social opportunities for Yukoners.
