The Canada North Fibre Loop (CNFL) is officially complete.
The completion of the 3,857-km fibre loop, which is intended to protect Northerners from Internet and cellular service disruptions caused by major infrastructure damage, was announced in a Tuesday afternoon news release from Northwestel.
SA国际影视传媒淭oday is a long-awaited day for Northwestel and our Northern customers," stated Curtis Shaw, the company's president. "Threats to critical infrastructure are only growing across Canada, and private sector and government partners must come together to protect it. The Canada North Fibre Loop is a testament to what we can accomplish when we work together in true partnership. Northwestel is proud to deliver this next level of reliability and resiliency to our customers in Northern Canada."
The CNFL is composed of three parts: NorthwestelSA国际影视传媒檚 1,930-km fibre network running between Yellowknife and Whitehorse, the GNWT's 1,149-km Mackenzie Valley Fibre Link stretching from Fort Simpson to Inuvik, and the Yukon government's 778-km Dempster Fibre Line, which runs from Dawson City to Inuvik. The installation of the fibre lines was funded by territorial and federal government programs, the news release stated, as well as NorthwestelSA国际影视传媒檚 own "significant investments," totalling "more than $550 million."
The release noted that natural disasters like flooding and wildfires have previously damaged existing fibre lines, causing "lengthy and impactful disruptions to telecommunications services." The completion of the CNFL means that, should similar challenges occur in the future, Internet and cellular traffic can "flow in the opposite direction," resulting in "minimal to no disruption for households and businesses along the loop."
Finance Minister Caroline Wawzonek called the completed CNFL "a strategic step in strengthening the foundational infrastructure essential for high-speed broadband access and economic opportunities for northern communities."
She added that the milestone "underscores the importance of collaborative efforts between government and industry to safeguard connectivity across our vast territories."
