The village of Wells is getting better internet service.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Citizens' Services announced new upgrades to select rural communities in B.C. and the Cariboo hamlet was one of them.
Minister Jinny Sims said "high-speed internet access is critical for people to learn, do business and communicate with each other. In today's connected world, reliable and affordable internet access is no longer a luxury - it's an absolute necessity. These new projects will help ensure residents of Clinton, Deka Lake and Wells have the same opportunities online as British Columbians in urban centres."
The money to make the connectivity upgrades comes from the Connecting British Columbia Program which invests 50 per cent of the costs, when an application is successful in the process to boost B.C.'s rural communications infrastructure. ABC Communications led the application to better service Wells, as well as the fellow Cariboo communities of Clinton and Deka Lake. The fund is administered by Northern Development Initiative Trust.
Falko Kadenbach, vice-president of ABC Communications, said "throughout the past two summers, British Columbians have been challenged by natural disasters. ABC Communications, along with many other service providers, provides a lifeline to many residents in rural B.C. during these events.
"Programs like the Connecting British Columbia program play an important role in making these services available, affordable and reliable to British Columbians."
The effect on Wells and its next door neighbour Barkerville will be both cultural and economic, according to those who live there.
"The connection between arts and the internet have become a lifeline for rural arts organizations," said Karen Jeffery, executive artistic director of the Sunset Theatre Society in Wells. "In the fast-paced world of having information at your fingertips, it's imperative that we continue to be able to offer that service to visiting artists wanting to create in a rural environment while still being connected to an urban centre."
In Wells, the arts is a primary industry.
Wayne Walch, chief of the Clinton Volunteer Fire Department, said this upgrade would have practical and potentially life-saving effects as well.
"Broadband connectivity is essential to Clinton," he said. "As fire chief, I can attest to the need for reliable connectivity during emergency situations. With the wildfire of 2017 approaching our village, the fire commissioner set up a mobile command centre enabled through broadband connections. They had access to satellite information, news coverage and other levels of government organizations, which greatly assisted in the co-ordination of our efforts and the dissemination of critical information."
The program's public investment in these services total $78,862 for Deka Lake (and neighbouring Sulphurous Lake), allowing an estimated 200 homes and businesses to access high-speed internet for the first time; the Clinton part of the project gets $334,108 to install a fibre-optic network for 327 homes and businesses; and $59,794 in Wells to enhance internet services for 130 homes and businesses.
The total value of these three investments is $945,530, which includes the provincial contribution and spending by ABC Communications.
