The Province of Nova Scotia has announced a $56-million the phase-one rollout of a fibre optic network for much of rural Nova Scotia.
The Municipality of Clare will finance its portion of the project, up to a maximum of $2.45 million, over four years using solely monies from the Federal Gas Tax Fund while Mainland Telecom will be contributing $3.1 million, and $4.4 million will come from the Nova Scotia Internet Funding Trust as part of Develop Nova Scotia’s Internet for Nova Scotia Initiative.
Warden Ronnie LeBlanc says the major improvement will be a big boost for people wanting to move to the area.
“People coming to look at property, people wanting to set up businesses, and the first thing they ask is ‘can I get high speed’ and ‘what’s the speeds and quality’; and it’s not only download speeds, it’s upload speeds as well and that’s why this project, to me, is key because that’s a really high speed.”
Warden Eddie Nickerson of the Municipality of Barrington also sees it as a big boost for rural communities.
“There’s a lot more people moving to the area that work from home, with our technology today, so it’s certainly going to be a big bonus to our existing business and encouraging people to move to the area.”
The Municipality is adding a financial investment of $200,000 to the provincial money for the initiative.
Warden Nickerson says the announcement is very important to a big part of the area.
“We are looking at servicing somewhere near a thousand homes in the western end of the municipality, which would be Charlesville to Doctor’s Cove area. That’s a very underserved area so we’re very fortunate to be part of the first round of selection to have fibre op to the home.”
Warden LeBlanc says they are very excited about the announcement.
“In a small rural municipality, to be competitive, you need real high speed internet to attract businesses and attract new residents to the area. So I see this, honestly, like when we first passed the telephone or electricity this is, to me, in the same importance for communities to grow.”
The phase-one network that will span 278 kilometres in Clare, reaching an estimated 4,600 residences and businesses.
The Municipality of District of Yarmouth is getting $75,000 in funding, the Municipality of District of Digby $100,000, and the Municipality of District of Shelburne will receive $1.1 million.
