In Ward 6 Councillor Angelo Bentivegna’s and my continued commitment to regular updates to our rural community members, please see below this week’s project update for the Rural Ward 6 Internet Broadband project, as we continue working with stakeholders and residents to push the essential implementation of rural broadband.
In these updates, we will provide information from our weekly internal meeting that is attended by city staff, agencies and the applicant, Internet Access Solutions/Standard Broadband (IASL). Those weekly meetings have been scheduled so that everyone knows who has the ball and who gets it next, so that together we can ensure successful completion of this project by July 2022.
The updates will be supplemented by informal monthly meetings with rural residents, which IASL/Standard Broadband is also invited to attend.
The first meeting has been confirmed for March 10 from 5-6 p.m. and details for how to join can be found further down this post.
Update as of Feb. 24, 2022:
The applicant (IASL) must receive a Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC) Permit before any development/construction can begin. Most of the project is within NEC-regulated area.
IASL/Standard Broadband has now filed the required comprehensive resubmission to the NEC, and simultaneously with the partner agencies who must also review the project and issue permits, namely the Region of Halton, Conservation Halton and the City of Burlington.
The reviews are happening simultaneously rather than sequentially to speed the process. Please review Next Steps below for the timeline.
Permit Fees:
You can attend and speak, or submit written information, in support of the motion from Councillor Bentivegna and Mayor Marianne Meed Ward to waive the one-time fees for the City’s Municipal Consent Permits for rural broadband. It will be on the March 3, Environment, Infrastructure & Community Services Committee, which begins at 9:30am.
Register as a delegation or submit comments here: https://www.burlington.ca/en/your-city/delegation-registration.asp
The full motion can be read here: https://mariannemeedward.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Motion-Memo-Waive-Consent-Fees-Rural-Broadband-March-2022.pdf
Webpage:
The city has set up a dedicated Rural Internet Installation webpage for the two rural broadband projects currently underway here: https://www.burlington.ca/en/services-for-you/rural-internet-installation.asp
Please check back regularly for updates. If you have subscribed to the page, you’ll receive an alert each time new information is posted.
Timeline
Background:
Below is information that has been shared with the community in previous updates, but is restated here for convenience.
Next Steps:
Now that the NEC, the Region, and Conservation Halton has received the complete submission from IASL, they will commence their review to ensure that all previous comments have been addressed. This typically takes about two weeks. If the submission addresses all previous comments, the Region and Conservation Halton will provide written confirmation to the NEC. If the submission does not adequately address all previous comments, the applicant will need to address any outstanding issues.
Once confirmation is received, the NEC will be in a position to write a report of recommendation. They are not foreseeing that this application would conflict with any policies, therefore will not need a decision by the Commission, and can be signed off by the director, which would take a day or two.
The NEC representatives on our call this week said they have made this file their number one priority to expedite once all materials are received.
Approval is subject to a two-week appeal period. If the project is appealed by any party, including adjacent residents, that can add months or years to processing times.
All agencies (Halton Region, Conservation Halton, City of Burlington)have been working in parallel to the NEC process so will be able to issue permits very quickly after NEC issues their permit. For reference:
- Halton Region’s role is to issue a separate Municipal Consent Permit for Regional Roads.
- Conservation Halton issues permits for areas within CH regulation. A permit application will need to be submitted and reviewed and can be issued shortly after the NEC permit is issued.
- The City of Burlington’s Role is to issue Municipal Consent, Road Occupancy and Load Exemption permits.
March-April
Per the applicant’s webpage, once permits are issued IASL/Standard Broadband will:
- finalize and post their construction schedule on their webpage
- order locates for underground utilities, which can take 2-3 weeks.
May-June-July
Per the applicant’s webpage, once locates are issued, IASL/Standard Broadband will:
- bring in equipment
- begin construction, which is expected to take three months
Informal Resident Meeting:
The informal residents meeting with the Mayor, Councillor and IASL/Standard Broadband is scheduled for March 10th from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Details for how to join is below and will also be posted on the project website mentioned above.
Zoom link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88952812301?pwd=TXJuVDNQb1pGM3ZPNEVYcXRFb29Rdz09
Meeting ID: 889 5281 2301
Passcode: 2BAj0m
Or Dial in at: 647 558 0588
Meeting ID: 889 5281 2301
Passcode: 312026
Please feel free to share this correspondence with other rural residents who may be interested.
If you have any additional questions, please let us know and we will endeavour to get answers and include them in a future update
Please be assured that we are all working toward the same shared goal of securing rural broadband for our residents as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Marianne & Angelo
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward
Ward 6 Councillor Angelo Bentivegna
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