Inverness MLA Allan MacMaster says the roll-out of high speed Internet in his riding is slower that both he and constituents have hoped.
MacMaster says about 70 per cent of Inverness County households and businesses have been connected. MacMaster says while this is progress and he has been assured Judique, Port Hood, and Margaree Harbour will be connected this spring, it leaves too many county residents without fibre internet.
MacMaster says unfortunately the agreement in place signed with Bell by the previous government didn’t include any penalties for missing deadlines.
MacMaster says there are a couple of reasons for the delays. They include an inability by Bell and Nova Scotia Power to hire enough trained workers to install fibre optic cable on power lines. Also, some property owners have refused to allow fibre optic cable to be installed on new power poles on their property. MacMaster says this has stranded some nearby homes from being connected.
More information on the status of installation of Internet can be found at internet.buildns.ca.