Matawa First Nations Management receives funding for phase two of Rapid Lynx broadband deployment
Nine First Nations communities in Northern Ontario are about to become the beneficiaries of fibre-optic infrastructure.
Matawa First Nations Management (MFNM), announced on June 6 that it has secured funding for Phase Two of its Rapid Lynx long-haul fiber-optic network project.
The work will see the deployment of an additional 289 kilometres of fiber and optical equipment connecting Aroland and several other remote First Nations to the communities of Ginoogaming, Long Lake 58 and Constance Lake.
The project will also connect Nibinamik First Nation to Wunnumin Lake First Nation to allow for a second connection to the internet for redundancy and path diversity, increasing network reliability and resiliency along the Rapid Lynx route.
In all, approximately 500 First Nations premises will receive connectivity as a result.
“The significance of this project for the road access communities in Matawa cannot be overstated as they currently continue to struggle with connectivity issues,” said MFNM Chief Executive Officer David Paul Achneepineskum. “Matawa First Nations Management and the Matawa First Nations have worked together since 2014 to obtain support for broadband infrastructure in northern Ontario. When completed, the Rapid Lynx network will be 100% owned, governed and operated by the Matawa First Nations, allowing the First Nations to control our own digital future and provide affordable, reliable and secure high-speed connectivity for the first time to areas that only had the limited capability of shared satellite service before. Rapid Lynx will transform education, healthcare, economic development, job creation and security in the Matawa First Nations and increase prosperity and quality of life for our residents.”
The deployment will be performed through a partnership between MFNM and Colorado-based company Magellan, which provides turnkey services for building fiber and broadband networks. The groups have been working together since 2014, and are working on the deployment of Phase One of the project, which is currently underway.
Magellan will provide detailed engineering plans and oversee all aspects of the Phase Two project, which includes permitting, construction management and inspections, as well as grant reporting and compliance. Phase Two construction is expected to begin late this year or early next. The network will provide symmetrical speeds of up to 1 Gbps to every premise.
“Magellan is proud to continue growing our partnership with Matawa First Nations Management,” said CEO John Honker. “Since 2014 we have worked with MFNM to develop and manage their next-generation broadband infrastructure planning, and have now secured over $130 million in total funding to bring the Rapid Lynx project to fruition. We look forward to continued success with MFNM on this very important initiative.”
The second phase of the project is being funded through awards from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure totalling $62.7 million.
MFNM is a non-profit corporation that has served the needs of nine Matawa First Nations for more than 30 years.