Papineau Numérique Project Launch
Montpellier, November 25, 2019 –The Papineau Numérique project launched today; it represents a concrete step forward for the Papineau RCM to provide high-speed Internet to residents who are not yet connected or partially connected and who are looking for a more reliable connection.
Following a long-term effort by the RCM team to prepare and submit grant applications, the federal and provincial governments have officially granted a total of $6.5 M in financial assistance to improve thecapacity, availability, speed, and reliability of high-speed Internet in the region.
These subsidies, equally provided by the Government of Canada program Connect to Innovate and the Government of Quebec program Connect Quebec, were granted to accomplish the $9.7 M project; the $3.2 M difference will be assumed by the Papineau RCM.
Ultimately, over 195 km of optical fibre will be installed to connect 3,153 households or businesses located in remote locations.
M. Mathieu Lacombe, ministre de la Famille, ministre responsable de la région de l’Outaouais et député de Papineau, M. Stéphane Séguin, président du conseil d’aministration d’Internet Papineau, Mme Paulette Lalande et M. Benoit Lauzon, préfet de la MRC de Papineau.
Papineau RCM: A Digital Territory
In the coming months, a communication campaign for the general public will be launched. The goal is to keep people informed about the progression of the launch in the region and to highlight the opportunities afforded by high-performance Internet. Papineau Numérique is looking to develop an inspiring signature that will represent a connected and dynamic Papineau RCM, where growth opportunities are generated due to the arrival of high-speed Internet. A transparent website will be launched, providing the latest news for every phase of the project. An interactive map will also be available for consultation to verify the availability status of high-speed Internet in each sector. Postal mailings of educational content will also be sent out.
A Constantly Evolving Project
Following the review of the governments’ contribution agreements, the RCM team worked to clarify each aspect of the project. The network design was reviewed and further developed by an engineering firm. The analytical work made it possible to improve the project by adding, among other things, a resiliency andredundancy component. The additions made to the network’s resilience will benefit the entire RCM network.
Moreover, the financial framework was also established. In tandem with the awarding of the grants, the RCM worked to complete the financing required for the project.
More recently, a call for proposals was issued to select the project office that will be responsible for, among other things, carrying out the detailed engineering project, managing future calls for proposals, and monitoring and supervising tasks. The construction of the network is scheduled to begin in spring 2020 andto be completed by March 31, 2021.
“Launching high-speed Internet in our territory is a long marathon that consists of several stages. We are doing all we can to get the job done within the tight deadlines imposed by the program. The call for proposals to hire a project office marks an important step forward in the implementation of the Papineau Numérique project,” says David Pineault, Project Manager for the Papineau RCM.
Until the Papineau Numérique’s website is launched, residents and businesses wishing to subscribe to Internet Papineau’s high-speed, fibre Internet service can confirm their interest by filling out the following form: www.ipapineau.net/papineaunumerique. They will be the first to be notified when the connection is available in their sector.