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Telecom Order CRTC 2024-116

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Reference: 2021-46

Ottawa, 27 May 2024

Public record: 1011-NOC2019-0372

Broadband Fund – Change request – Columbia Basin Broadband Corporation’s British Columbia transport fibre project

Summary

Canadians need reliable, affordable, and high-quality Internet and cellphone services for every part of their daily lives.

Through its Broadband Fund, the Commission contributes to a broad effort by federal, provincial, and territorial governments to address the gap in connectivity in underserved rural, remote, and Indigenous communities across Canada.

With this order, the Commission approves Columbia Basin Broadband Corporation’s request to remove three anchor institutions from its British Columbia transport fibre project, as those institutions are already connected to the internet. Service levels and open access requirements for all five communities in this project as outlined in Telecom Regulatory Policy 2018-377 remain unchanged.

Background

  1. In Telecom Regulatory Policy 2018-377, the Commission set out objectives and governing frameworks for the Broadband Fund. In the Application Guide appended to Telecom Notice of Consultation 2019-372, which initiated the second call for Broadband Fund applications, the Commission defined a material change as including a major change in the cost or scope of a project.
  2. Columbia Basin Broadband Corporation (CBBC) participated in the second call and, in Telecom Decision 2021-46, received approval for its funding application to build over 60 kilometres of fibre optic transport infrastructure along the Highway 3B/3/6 Corridor between Trail and Nelson, British Columbia, to serve the following communities: Erie, Hall, Meadows, Park Siding, and Ymir.
  3. Among the conditions of funding is the requirement, set out at paragraph 14 of Telecom Decision 2021-46, that any material changes to the project be approved by the Commission. The Commission later received written acceptance of this funding award from CBBC and approved CBBC’s related statement of work in Telecom Order 2021-330, subject to the conditions of funding set out in Telecom Decision 2021-46.

Change request

  1. On 12 January 2024, CBBC submitted a change request for a material change in its project approved in Telecom Decision 2021-46. Specifically, CBBC requested to remove three anchor institutions in Ymir, British Columbia. CBBC stated that the three anchor institutions are served by another provider, and the institutions have declined connection and the service offerings from CBBC’s network, once complete.

Commission’s analysis

  1. The Commission has reviewed the materials submitted and factors described for the proposed removal of the three anchor institutions. The project, once complete, will build a fibre transport network with new points of presence serving five communities between Trail and Nelson in British Columbia. The relevant anchor institutions are located in one of the five communities. The Commission notes CBBC’s continuing commitment to the same community service levels and open access requirements in all five communities, including Ymir. Accordingly, the Commission considers that, under the circumstances, approving the change request would satisfy the objectives identified by the approach set out in Telecom Regulatory Policy 2018-377.
  2. The Commission therefore approves CBBC’s change request. All funding conditions and conditions imposed under section 24 of the Telecommunications Act, as set out in Telecom Decision 2021-46, continue to apply.

Secretary General

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