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Telecom Order CRTC 2024-20

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Reference: 2021-262

Ottawa, 26 January 2024

Public record: 1011-NOC2019-0372

Broadband Fund – Change request – ATG Arrow Technology Group Limited Partnership’s access project in Alberta (Goodfish Lake)

  1. In Telecom Decision 2021-262, the Commission approved ATG Arrow Technology Group Limited Partnership’s (Arrow) funding application to build local fixed access infrastructure in one community in Alberta (Goodfish Lake). The Commission later received written acceptance of this funding award from Arrow and approved Arrow’s related statement of work in Telecom Order 2022-94, subject to the conditions of funding set out in Telecom Decision 2021-251.
  2. Among the conditions of funding is the requirement, set out at paragraph 28 of Telecom Decision 2021-251, that any changes that materially affect the project be approved by the Commission. A change to the completion date qualifies as a material change based on the Commission’s definition in the Application Guide, which is appended to Telecom Notice of Consultation 2019-372. That notice initiated the second call for applications that led to the initial approval in Telecom Decision 2021-262.
  3. On 26 September 2023, Arrow submitted a change request for its project approved in Telecom Decision 2021-262.
  4. In its change request, Arrow sought approval to delay the project’s completion date by approximately one year due to the following delays:
    • pandemic related access restrictions to the community and surrounding area; and
    • extra time required to facilitate negotiations with the affected community
  5. Arrow’s deadline extension request would not meet the Commission’s expectation, set out in Telecom Decision 2021-262, that the project be completed within three years of the date of that decision.
  6. The Commission has reviewed the materials submitted and unforeseen factors described. The Commission underlines the importance of addressing connectivity gaps quickly by completing Broadband Fund projects in a timely manner.Footnote 1 However, 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.
  7. The Commission therefore approves Arrow’s change request. All funding conditions and conditions imposed under section 24 of the Telecommunications Act, as set out in Telecom Decision 2022-81, continue to apply.

Secretary General

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