Several areas of the Sunshine Coast are among 154 B.C. communities that will benefit from improved infrastructure for high-speed Internet thanks to $45.4 million in combined federal and provincial spending.

The project was announced Jan. 17 in Vancouver by Jinny Sims, the minister of citizens’ services, and federal ministers Jane Philpott of Indigenous services and Navdeep Bains of innovation, science and economic development.

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Sims said rural and remote communities along the B.C. coast still lag behind when it comes to access to the sort of high-speed connectivity that city dwellers take for granted.

“In the past it was our railroads and highways which brought jobs and economic opportunity to communities… Today it’s the digital connections that are changing the way we do business.”

She also said First Nations communities and institutions like hospitals and schools will benefit from the faster connections.

The Sunshine Coast communities on the list include under-served areas such as Earls Cove, Egmont and Francis Peninsula at the north end, and Port Mellon and New Brighton on Gambier Island at the south.

The work to beef up the so-called fibre optic backbone includes laying undersea cable. Two organizations will be getting the funding: CityWest Cable and Telephone will get $12.4 million to service 23 communities and 97 institutions. The Strathcona Regional District will get $33 million to service 131 communities and 63 institutions, including the Sunshine Coast.

Sunshine Coast Regional District director Frank Mauro was in Vancouver for the announcement. He told Coast Reporter that although there are still details to be settled, it’s really good news for the Coast.

“All the communities up and down the coast which have communications gaps and the areas on the Sunshine Coast were the ones that have been identified as requiring high-speed Internet,” Mauro said.

He said one aspect that will have to be worked out is how smaller Internet providers will be able to connect to the backbone to offer service.

“With the laying of this fibre, hopefully the smaller Internet service providers that have been trying to provide services for these under-served areas for not only Internet, but cell phones will be able to access this backbone, but that’s not confirmed yet.”

West Howe Sound director Ian Winn said in his work on the issue he’s discovered that one of the major challenges has been getting cost-effective access to the fibre backbone.

Bains said it would likely take at least three years to complete all the connections.