District of Lakeland office at Christopher Lake. (file photo/paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

The cost of technology

District of Lakeland greenlights high speed internet

Nov 18, 2020 | 5:42 PM

High speed internet will be available for residents in the communities of Emma Lake and Christopher Lake, but it’s going to come at a cost of just over $1 million.

The newly elected District of Lakeland council formally approved the move at Monday’s meeting and it’s anticipated construction will start in the spring. Administrator Tammy Knuttila explained the amount owed to SaskTel will be shared amongst the 1,900 property owners, which works out to roughly $600 each.

“This is a benefit to each and every rate payer that is out there” _{– Reeve Walter Plessl}

Knuttila said it’s a one-time payment and the property owners have the option of paying the money up front, over five years, or over 10 years.

Opponents to the plan have asked why council chose SaskTel as the provider and not pursued another option. Knuttila explained the communities with permanent populations of 1,000 are located in the Far North, don’t qualify for grant money, and are also not considered a big draw for companies. She also explained SaskTel was the only option that offered hard wiring to homes, while the others were weather dependant.

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Another complaint to the plan has been that SaskTel should pay the costs. Knuttila explained their smaller communities do not fit SaskTel’s for-profit business model.

“It doesn’t meet it because we are such a small permanent population, but a large population in the summer,” she said.

According to the terms of SaskTel’s community participation program, the company requires a contribution from communities to provide service. Those locations would not typically meet the company’s for-profit business plan.

“This was the way we could get it done,” Knuttila said.

Prior to Monday’s meeting, approval has been given for similar initiatives in the McPhee Lake and Anglin areas, at costs of around $60,000.

The survey

As a way of gauging public opinion, the District of Lakeland conducted a mail-out in August of a survey and received a 55 per cent response rate. From that 48 per cent were in favour of the proposal, and 52 per cent were against.

Dennis Richardson and his wife have owned a cottage at Emma Lake since 1992, and have recently become permanent residents in retirement.

Richardson expressed to paNOW he was very concerned by the survey results.

“So the issue is also about the fact that people who are elected are making decisions not for the best interests of the rate payers,” he said.

Also listed among Richardson’s concerns is whether they are getting state of the art technology. He also explained that previously when utilities were made available in Lakeland, particular with regard to natural gas, if you wanted it, you paid for it.

“‘It was not taken up to everybody’s house and everybody charged from their tax base,” he said. “We are of the opinion if you want it you pay for it, and if you don’t want it, you don’t pay for it.”

Response from the Reeve

Newly elected Reeve Walter Plessl is defending council’s decision to greenlight the construction, and explained to paNOW investment in this type of infrastructure is the way to go in this day and age.

“With everything changing in this world today, and meetings going virtual, and more and more people coming out to the lake, and for the most part living there, it only makes sense to spend that money,” he said.

Plessl anticipated the move will help drive up property values, and added it’s also important for rate payers to know that future upgrades will be paid for on SaskTel’s dime.

“This is a benefit to each and every rate payer that is out there and it was a very big decision for council but I believe that, and obviously the rest of [council] believes it was the right move,” he said.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell