Federal grant to bring high-capacity fibre to Dodsland and Plenty

By Ian MacKay

Federal authorities have approved a grant that will bring “high-capacity fibre” to Dodsland and Plenty.

SaskTel is getting close to $690,000 from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s (CRTC) broadband fund “to build 30 kilometres of fibre infrastructure” in the area, a CRTC statement said, noting, “Canadians need access to reliable, affordable and high-quality internet and cellphone services for every part of their daily lives.”

Workers installed fibre-optic lines for the project in the village during the summer, village administrator Amy Sittler recalled, adding that she hasn’t heard when the new service will be available.

“It definitely will be welcome,” Sittler said. Many people there have either Starlink or Xplornet services, she added.

SaskTel received letters of support from the villages of Dodsland and Plenty, which is “along the transport route that will benefit from the increased capacity enabled by the project,” the statement said.

Dodsland council said “that the whole community welcomes the proposed upgrades to the fibre optics in their area,” and Plenty councillors supported the plan that “will bring increased capacity” to the village, the statement added.

Also, Access Communications is receiving close to $13 million from the CRTC’s fund to bring faster internet service to 25 communities northwest of the Battlefords, including Thunderchild First Nation and resort villages around Jackfish and Turtle lakes.