The Thompson Nicola Regional District Board Chair suggests rural communities across BC could have high-speed internet brought to their municipalities by 2026.

Barbara Roden says it comes as Ashcroft, Cache Creek, and multiple communities in the TNRD have been approached by Telus, looking to expand Fibre Optics to their rural communities.

“Through the Connecting Communities BC Fund, several million dollars in funding has become available to get rural connectivity established in areas that are currently underserved, which is a lot of them in the TNRD,” she said.

“So what TELUS was looking for is letters of support, because they are going to be making applications to this funding to bring improved connectivity to a number of small rural communities.”

Roden says Telus has already begun working in Clinton, with internet connectivity expected to be built in the Spring of 2023.

“I think the impetus there is to get into one of the early phases of the funding, get your letter of application, and get as much support as possible to show that yes, the interest is definitely there,” she said.

Ashcroft, Cache Creek, and the TNRD have all sent letters to Telus in support of connecting their communities to its Pure Fibre Network.