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Telecom Order CRTC 2023-224

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References: 2020-258 and 2020-260

Ottawa, 27 July 2023

Public record: 1011-NOC2019-0191

Broadband Fund – Change requests – Northwestel Inc.’s Northwest Territories and Yukon fibre projects

  1. In Telecom Decisions 2020-258 and 2020-260, the Commission approved Northwestel Inc.’s (Northwestel) first-round funding application to improve the broadband services available to eligible areas in the Northwest Territories and Yukon. The Commission later received written acceptance of this funding award from Northwestel and, in Telecom Orders 2021-135 and 2021-137, approved Northwestel’s related statement of work, subject to the conditions set out in the funding decisions.
  2. Among the conditions of funding is the requirement that any changes that materially affect the project to be delivered be approved by the Commission. In the Application Guide appended to Telecom Notice of Consultation 2019-191, which initiated the first call to applications, the Commission defined a material change as including a major change in the cost or scope of a project.
  3. On 21 December 2022, Northwestel submitted a change request for its project approved in Telecom Decision 2020-258. On 20 January 2023, Northwestel submitted a change request for its project approved in Telecom Decision 2020-260.
  4. Specifically, Northwestel requested additional funding due to inflation and other factors that have resulted in increasing project costs. Northwestel requested the following funding increases:
    • For the project to improve local access infrastructure and transport infrastructure in 18 communities in the Northwest Territories, an increase of $6,975,239, bringing the funded amount from $16,763,333 to $23,738,572.
    • For the project to improve local access infrastructure in 24 communities in Yukon and transport infrastructure in 3 of those communities, an increase of $12,705,609, bringing the funded amount from $40,395,868 to $53,101,477.
  5. Northwestel also indicated the following increases in the estimated number of households to be served by these projects:
    • For the project to improve local access infrastructure and transport infrastructure in 18 communities in the Northwest Territories, an increase of 104 households, from 3,643 to 3,747.
    • For the project to improve local access infrastructure in 24 communities in Yukon and transport infrastructure in 3 of those communities, an increase of 1,006 households, from 4,698 to 5,704.
  6. The Commission has reviewed the materials submitted and considers that approving the change requests would satisfy the objectives of Telecom Regulatory Policy 2018-377.
  7. The Commission therefore approves Northwestel’s change requests. All funding conditions and conditions imposed under section 24 of the Telecommunications Act, as set out in Telecom Decisions 2020-258 and 2020-260, continue to apply.

Secretary General

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