SOUTH HAZELTON – CityWest is proud to announce a partnership with the British Columbia government to provide approximately 200 households and businesses in South Hazelton with Internet, television, and phone services.
“Having access to high-speed Internet is incredibly important to people, especially during times such as these. It helps us connect with loved ones. It helps us work remotely. It allows those of us who are in school to continue our studies as we work towards new and exciting careers,” said Anne Kang, Minister of Citizens’ Services for the Province of BC. “Bringing broadband to South Hazelton will make life easier for people in the community and also gives businesses the technology they need to grow and market themselves around the world.”
The cost of the project is over $800,000, with CityWest and the Province of BC each sharing 50 per cent of the costs.
“Bringing reliable, high-speed internet to the people of South Hazelton is another win for rural and remote communities in British Columbia. This demonstrates the commitment by the Province to not only improve the quality of life for our residents, but to strengthen and diversify the economy,” said Joel McKay, CEO of Northern Development Initiative Trust, the fund manager for the Connecting BC program.
South Hazelton is located just west of New Hazelton, at a bend in Highway 16 where the Skeena River branches into the Bulkley River. When construction is completed, residents and businesses will be able to access Internet speeds of up to 1 Gigabit per second, as well as quality TV and phone services.
“We’ll be able to provide residents of South Hazelton with the same great experience we give to all our customers in all our communities,” said Tina Lussier, Interim CEO of CityWest. “As a company that was built in the North, we’re proud to provide our newest communities with the fastest Internet speeds possible alongside great Optical TV and phone services.”
Construction will take place during the summer months, and the first customers will be installed at the beginning of the fall. Customers in the area looking for services should call CityWest at
1-800-442-8664 to be put on a waitlist.
“Our construction team will be practicing all the appropriate COVID-19 social distancing measures to ensure everyone stays safe,” said Bart Kuntz, VP of Outside Plant with CityWest.
If COVID-19 provincial restrictions are still in place by the fall, CityWest will continue taking all the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of its employees and of its customers when services are being installed in the house.