January 27, 2025 by Knowlton Thomas Techouver
More remote communities throughout British Columbia have been connected to reliable high-speed internet, the provincial government recently announced.
The move to power Lax Kw’alaams off the northwestern coast of B.C., as well as Nuxalk Nation, Bella Coola, and Hagensborg along the central coast, comes as part of “an essential step in our commitment to connect all First Nations communities in B.C. to high-speed internet,” according to George Chow, who serves B.C. as Minister of Citizens’ Services.
“Reliable connectivity will ensure people … will have better access to education, health care and economic opportunities available online,” he stated.
With the installation of new last-mile infrastructure, approximately 340 households in Lax Kw’alaams have access to high-speed internet. Roughly 440 households in Nuxalk Nation and Bella Coola, and approximately 420 households in Hagensborg, also gained internet.
For Lax Kw’alaams, the Government of British Columbia invested $196,630 through the Connecting British Columbia program, administered by the Northern Development Initiative Trust. The Government of Canada invested $523,016 through the federal Universal Broadband Fund.
The Government of British Columbia also invested more than $1.4 million in the Connecting Bella Coola project and nearly $1.5 million in the Hagensborg project. This was done through the Connecting British Columbia program, which is managed by the Northern Development Initiative Trust.
Since 2017, the Province has invested $584 million to expand connectivity in British Columbia. As of January 2025, approximately 74% of rural homes and more than 80% of homes on First Nations reserves have access to high-speed internet.
“High-speed Internet is not a luxury; it is a necessity,” believes Gudie Hutchings, federal Minister of Rural Economic Development, who says the Government of Canada is working to bring high-speed Internet access to 98% of Canadian households by 2026 and 100% by 2030.
“In today’s digital world, communities big and small need reliable connectivity, whether for accessing health care or growing a business,” Hutchings said.
