Labrador South broadband project receiving $12.5M of $40M in joint funding

Over one-quarter of the nearly $40 million announced as part of the joint federal-provincial-private funding to improve broadband internet services to rural and remote areas of the province will be dedicated to the Labrador South fibre project.

A combined $12.5 million will go toward the project, the largest of its kind in Atlantic Canada under Ottawa’s $500-million Connect to Innovate funding program and the largest remaining internet project to be completed in the Big Land.

Broken down, $10.2 million comes from the federal government; $491,000 comes from Newfoundland and Labrador government coffers; $1.7 million comes from internet service provider Bell; $50,000 comes from each of the Nunatukavut Community Council and Labrador Fishermen’s Union Shrimp Co.; and $20,000 comes from Nunacor Development Corp.

The project will enhance fibre facilities in Flower’s Cove, building on the network across the Strait of Bell Isle to enhance and expand the fibre line to Charlottetown.

It will provide expanded capacity in the Labrador Straits communities from Lanse au Clair to Red Bay, including Forteau, Lanse au Loup, Capstan Island, West St. Modeste, Pinware and Red Bay, and backbone fibre connectivity for Lodge Bay, Mary’s Harbour, Port Hope Simpson and Charlottetown. New high-capacity ethernet radios will be installed to service St. Lewis and Cartwright.

More announcements on where the remaining funds will be spent are expected in the coming days.