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Telecom Order CRTC 2024-83

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Reference: 2021-44

Ottawa, 24 April 2024

Public record: 1011-NOC2019-0372

Broadband Fund – Change request – Shaw Cablesystems G.P.’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.

Through this order, the Commission approves a request for the relocation of a point of presence for Shaw Cablesystems G.P.’s British Columbia transport fibre project.

Background

  1. In Telecom Decision 2021-44, the Commission approved Shaw Cablesystems G.P.’s (Shaw) project to build approximately 150 kilometres of fibre optic transport infrastructure along Highway 29 between Chetwynd and Fort St. John, British Columbia, to serve the following communities: Attachie, Bear Flat, Charlie Lake, Farrell Creek, Moberly Lake, Saulteau First Nations, and West Moberly First Nations. The Commission later received written acceptance of this funding award from Shaw and approved the company’s related statement of work in Telecom Order 2021-332, subject to the conditions of funding set out in Telecom Decision 2021-44.
  2. Among the conditions of funding is the requirement, set out at paragraph 15 of Telecom Decision 2021-44, that any material changes to the project be approved by the Commission. In the Application Guide appended to Telecom Notice of Consultation 2019-372, the Commission defined a material change as including a major change in the cost or scope of a project. That notice initiated the second call for applications and led to Telecom Decision 2021-44 and other decisions introduced in Telecom Decision 2021-43.

Change requests

  1. In Telecom Order 2023-225, dated 27 July 2023, the Commission approved two of Shaw’s change requests to relocate two of its points of presence.
  2. On 8 December 2023, Shaw submitted a third change request for this project. Specifically, Shaw requested to relocate the point of presence in the community of Attachie to an alternative site due to practical land use limitations that arose after approval of Shaw’s statement of work in Telecom Order 2021-332. Shaw indicated that this would not affect which communities are served, nor the cost or level of service delivered to them.

Commission’s analysis

  1. The Commission has reviewed the materials submitted and unforeseen relocation factors described, and notes Shaw’s continuing commitment to the same community service levels for the community of Attachie.
  2. The proposed change does not require an increase in funding from the Broadband Fund, nor will it result in a delay to the project’s timelines.
  3. The Commission considers the change request to be reasonable and that approving the change request would satisfy the objectives set out in Telecom Regulatory Policy 2018-377. The Commission therefore approves Shaw’s change request. All funding conditions and conditions imposed under section 24 of the Telecommunications Act, as set out in Telecom Decision 2021-44, continue to apply.

Secretary General

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