203275 - BC West Coast Marine Fiber Risk Study

This RFP seeks proposals from qualified firms to provide a desktop analysis of the risk areas associated with marine cable installation along the coast of Vancouver Island and the coastal areas of British Columbia.  Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDIT, or Northern Development) is not seeking solutions or recommendations for identified risks at this time.  We are seeking an understanding of potential hazards and challenges that would provide areas of increased risk to the operation of a submarine fiber optic cable system.

British Columbia has over 25,000 km of coastline including deep, mountainous fjords and thousands of marine islands.  In order to provide broadband connectivity to communities along the coast, a fiber optic cable project was funded that connects many remote and First Nation communities.  This infrastructure is critical for supporting economic development, public safety, education, healthcare, and overall quality of life. Recent connectivity disruptions have highlighted the need for a resilient telecom infrastructure and Northern Development needs to understand where the highest risk areas are located in order to gauge overall risk and plan for possible future funding needs.