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Houston council supports rural broadband study

The Regional District of Bulkley Nechako (RDBN) is applying to the B.C. Rural Dividend Fund grant to conduct a study on rural broadband.

The Regional District of Bulkley Nechako (RDBN) is applying to the B.C. Rural Dividend Fund grant to conduct a study on rural broadband.

The B.C. Rural Dividend Fund supports funding in four categories including community capacity building, workforce development, community and economic development, and business sector development.

The RDBN is applying for funding under the business sector development category.

According to the report, on May 24, 2017 the RDBN requested for the letter of support from District ofHouston council to do a study on the rural broadband of high-speed internet services.

It was a unanimous vote by the council to issue a letter of support to RDBN for their application.

The letter was issued to the RDBN on May 30, 2017, signed by mayor Shane Brienen.

“I am writing on behalf of the District of Houston to show our support for the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako’s application to the B.C. Rural Dividend Fund,” wrote Brienen.

“I believe the ‘Connectivity in the Regional District of BulkleyNechako’ project will greatly benefit our community of Houston, B.C. and the surrounding rural area. Access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet is a problem across the region.”

Brienen stated that recently Houston gained access to high speed fibre optic internet through CityWest, but the surrounding area is serviced by lower speed services.

“This means that many residents of rural areas are being excluded from career, education, and social opportunities. The recent Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission decision declaring high speed internet access as a basic service recognizes how important internet access has become in our society and economy.”

Brienen added that the District of Houston council supports the development of a business case, “as proposed by the project, to better understand, prioritize and increase connectivity across the rural areas that suffer from the lack of reliable, high-speed internet.”

As the matter was time sensitive, the decision was referred to a telephone poll.

District staff is now seeking ratification of the results of the telephone poll.

“Telephone polls are information polls of council conducted on time sensitive matters when council is unable to meet on a matter. As they are informal, council must ratify any decision affirmed through this process at a council meeting in order for it to be official and effective, “said Gerald Pinchbeck, Corporate Service Officer for the District of Houston.

District of Houston council approved the ratification of the telephone poll on June 6, 2017.