Undersea high-speed internet cable coming to Haida Gwaii

Key Takeaways:

• B.C. is investing up to $24 million through Northern Development Initiative Trust to build a subsea fibre-optic cable that will strengthen internet connectivity between the islands and the mainland northern coast.
• The GwaiiTel Haida Gwaii Project will create a dedicated, high-capacity network designed to improve reliability for residents, First Nations and businesses in a region where geography and weather make infrastructure difficult.
• Construction is expected to start in spring 2026, with the project supported by the Connecting British Columbia initiative, which is part of a broader federal-provincial effort announced in 2022 to invest up to $830 million expanding high-speed internet to underserved communities.

The Whole Story:

B.C., through the Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDIT), is investing as much as $24 million in a subsea fibre-optic cable to improve internet connectivity on Haida Gwaii and strengthen the link to the mainland northern coast.

The GwaiiTel Haida Gwaii project will deliver a dedicated, high-capacity connection designed to enhance network reliability for residents, First Nations and local businesses across the island, where geography and weather create distinct infrastructure challenges.

Construction begins in spring 2026. The fibre route will support remote health-care delivery, emergency response, government services, education, tourism and local business operations.

“Reliable connectivity is essential to the economic and social prosperity of communities across Haida Gwaii,” said Diana Gibson, Minister of Citizens’ Services, in a news release. “Through partnerships with the Council of the Haida Nation, GwaiiTel and NDIT, the Province is advancing resilient, dependable internet services that support community needs now and into the future.”

GwaiiTel is jointly owned by the Haida Nation and local government partners. The company has decades of experience managing connectivity on Haida Gwaii, the release said.

NDIT is investing the funds to enhance network capacity, improve service stability and ensure high-speed internet access across the region.

The project is supported by the Connecting British Columbia program, which funds transport-network projects that create backbone infrastructure for expanding high-speed internet to rural and remote areas. In March 2022, the governments of British Columbia and Canada announced a partnership to invest as much as $830 million to expand high-speed internet services to under-served households.