History of the initiative
Date |
Action |
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May 2006 |
Government announces Broadband for Rural Nova Scotia Initiative In a Speech from the Throne, the government announces that every Nova Scotian will have broadband access by the year 2010. Most areas will have wireless technology. The Initiative will begin with a pilot project. |
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September 2006 |
Broadband Initiative begins with a pilot project High-speed Internet service is available to 72% of Nova Scotian communities, which is about 80 per cent of the population. This leaves 200,000 Nova Scotians, 93,500 dwellings, 213 schools, and 5,600 businesses without broadband service. The rural communities from Tidnish to Port Howe, in a 15 km radius, are chosen for a pilot project that will look at ways to bring affordable high-speed Internet service to rural areas. The province invests $430,000, and works with the Cumberland Regional Economic Development Association and people from the community. The province sends out a request for proposals to find a private sector company to run the pilot project. |
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January 2007 |
High-speed broadband expansion begins Seaside Communications of Sydney, Cape Breton is chosen to run the pilot project. Other communities begin to get service this year. All areas of Nova Scotia will have access by the end of 2009. [1] Fixed wireless technology is chosen for most areas. |
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June 2007 |
Broadband service providers invited to get in the zone The pilot project is complete and shows that rural communities can get reliable service at about the same price as areas that already have access. Nova Scotia is divided into seven zones based on the number of places that need service. The province sends out a request for proposals for private companies to provide high-speed service to the rest of Nova Scotia. Service providers will be able to use public property and services such as towers, Crown land, mapping and demographic data as they build the network. |
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October 2007 |
Ottawa to help fund Nova Scotia's Broadband Initiative The Government of Canada announces that it will pay 50% of the eligible public sector costs. The goal is to make Nova Scotia the most connected area in Canada and North America. |
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December 2007 |
Province awards contracts for Internet providers Contracts for zones 1-6 go to Seaside Communications and EastLink Bragg Communications Inc. Contract for zone 7, Halifax Regional Municipality which includes 45 rural communities, will be awarded separately. Seaside Communications will serve Cumberland, Colchester, Pictou, Antigonish, Guysborough, Inverness, Richmond, Victoria, and Cape Breton counties. EastLink will serve Lunenburg, Queens, Shelburne, Yarmouth, Digby, Annapolis, Kings, and Hants counties. Cost to provide service to all of Nova Scotia is $74.5 million: provincial - $19.6 million; federal $14.5 million; companies $40.4 million. |
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February 2008 |
Province calls for proposals to cover the 45 rural areas of HRM The province puts out a request for proposals for private companies to provide high-speed service to the 45 communities in the Halifax Regional Municipality without broadband service. |
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April 2008 |
Project update - designing the build Using maps highlighting unserved communities and civic addresses, as well as topographical data, companies identify existing towers or new sites that will transmit wireless signals to unserved areas. The companies are completing radio frequency engineering and are focused on leasing the right tower and pole sites, holding public consultations and applying for required permits. This is a process that will continue for many months until suitable sites are secured province-wide. It is estimated that between 300- 400 structures, mainly poles, will be used across the province to complete this initiative. Roughly 80 per cent of the new infrastructure will be twenty-five metre poles, similar to telephone or electricity poles. The remaining 20 per cent will comprise radio antenna towers that range from 30-70 metres in height. |
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May 2008 |
May 2008 - BRNS website launched The BRNS website was launched to support the ongoing communications strategy. In addition to being a source of information on the project, the website also provides links to Internet resources for Communities, for Families and Students, and for Business. |
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June 2008 |
Queens County - EastLink lights up Caledonia EastLink announced in early June that 1,000 residents in the Caledonia area now have access to broadband. New subscribers in this area are EastLink's first under the Broadband for Rural Nova Scotia initiative. |
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August 2008 |
The province has signed a one-million-dollar contract with OmniGlobe Networks of Montreal to provide high-speed Internet access to 13-hundred addresses in rural HRM. OmniGlobe specializes in providing high-speed access in remote areas and is well suited to connect the remaining residents, businesses and agencies scattered throughout the municipality. |
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September 2008 |
Premier Announces High-speed Connections in Cape Breton L'Arche Cape Breton and Seaside Communications celebrate the high-speed connection to the Internet From the new pole erected in Orangedale, Inverness Co. L'Arche Cape Breto, an assisted living community that creates homes and jobs for people who have developmental disabilities can now communicate more efficiently and effectively within its partner communities across Canada and around the world. Orangedale is the first area in Cape Breton to experience the benefits of high-speed through Broadband for Rural Nova Scotia, the initiative that connects rural Nova Scotia quickly and economically to the world. |
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December 2008 |
Baker Settlement connected by EastLink Approximately 250 homes in the Baker's Settlement area of Lunenburg County were offered connections by EastLink. |
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January 2009 |
400 civic address in Pictou County connected by Seaside High-speed internet is now available in Anderson Mountain, Big Island, Fraser's Mountain, French River, Greenwood, Merigomish, Merigomish Harbour, Micmac, Piedmont, Telford, Woodburn, and Woodburn Station. The commissioning of Seaside's latest tower will provide service to 414 residences and businesses in Pictou County, Nova Scotia. |
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February 2009 |
3000 civic addresses in Pictou Shore area connected by Seaside High-speed internet is now available in Alma, Black Point, Blue Acres, Braeshore, Brookland, Caribou, Caribou Ferry, Caribou Island, Central Caribou, Central West River, Concord, Crossroads, Dufferin, Durham, East River, Fishers Grant, Fitzpatrick Mountain, Four Mile Brook, Gairloch, Granton, Greenhill, Haliburton, Hardwood Hill, Hazel Glen, Heathbell, Kings Head, Limerock, Linacy, Little Harbour, Loch Broom, Lovat, Lower Mount Thom, Lyons Brook, McKay Corner Road, Millstream, Millsville, New Lairg, Pictou Landing, Pleasant Valley, Riverton, Rockfield, Rocklin, Rogers Hill, Salt Springs, Scotch Hill, Scotsburn, Six Mile Brook, Stillman, Sylvester, Tanner Hill, Thorburn, Three Brooks, Union Centre, Waterside, West River and White Hill. The commissioning of Seaside's latest tower will provide service to over 3000 residences and businesses in Pictou County, Nova Scotia. |
[1] Fixed wireless sends the signal through a receiver box that is attached to the building. A cable brings the signal indoors to the computer or wireless router.
A cable modem sends a data signal through cables used for cable television.
DSL or Digital Subscriber Loop or Line sends digital data over local telephone wires.