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The original item was published from 7/14/2022 11:30:32 AM to 7/15/2023 12:00:00 AM.

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Posted on: July 14, 2022

[ARCHIVED] Grant Funds Faster Speeds at Free Wi-Fi Hotspots in Coquitlam

A woman holds up her cell phone in front of Town Centre Park

COQUITLAM, B.C., July 14, 2022 – The public can look forward to faster uploads and downloads this year at Coquitlam’s free Wi-Fi hotspots, thanks to a federal grant. 

The City has received $100,000 from the Canada Community-Building Fund (CCBF) to upgrade equipment and other infrastructure in 2022. The CCBF grant will pay for network upgrades that will at least double the current speeds available for the City’s network of 33 free Wi-Fi hotspots.

High-speed Wi-Fi Rolling Out in 2022

Provided for free at parks, squares and civic facilities across Coquitlam, the City’s Wi-Fi network allows people to more easily connect to each other and to online services. Free Wi-Fi locations can be found in the CoquitlamConnect app (coquitlam.ca/coquitlamconnect) and on a map at coquitlam.ca/wifi.

This year’s grant funding enables the City to increase bandwidth from 1G (gigabit) to 10G at all hotspots and to upgrade Wi-Fi equipment at the Poirier Sport & Leisure Complex and City Centre Aquatic Centre. The installation is taking place over the course of 2022. 

Improving the speed and reliability of the Wi-Fi network encourages people to spend more time in Coquitlam’s civic spaces. It provides an important service and opportunities for those without a high-speed connection at home, creating a more digitally equitable and inclusive community.

Quotes

“Improving free Wi-Fi in our parks and facilities will make it possible for residents and visitors to stay connected while enjoying our City’s recreation facilities, festivals and events, and parks and trails. The Canada Community Building Fund allows us to continue to improve infrastructure in Coquitlam, making life in our community more enjoyable and accessible,” said City of Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart. “We appreciate the support of our federal and provincial partners and the Union of B.C. Municipalities as we work to improve services for the community.” 

“Having access to fast and reliable wireless service is critical in our increasingly digital world. Increased bandwidth at public Wi-Fi hotspots will provide Coquitlam’s residents with greater access to critical resources, work, school, and various online services,” said Ron McKinnon, Member of Parliament for Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities. “Our Government is focused on building inclusive communities and this brings us one step closer to connecting all Canadians to reliable, high-speed internet.”

"This grant will help Coquitlam keep pace in its public spaces – whether at the Evergreen Cultural Centre, the Pinetree Community Centre or City the Centre Aquatic Complex, residents will be able to access information quicker and connect with commercial, recreational and social opportunities throughout the city,” said Fin Donnelly, MLA for Coquitlam-Burke Mountain. “Access to highspeed internet is critically important in today's society."

Long-time Investment in Free Wi-Fi

This year’s upgrades are the latest milestone for Coquitlam’s Wi-Fi network, which the City has continually worked to improve since launching the first free hotspots at City facilities close to 10 years ago. Other significant improvements included a 10-fold increase in hotspot speeds in 2016, and a doubling of sites in 2019 and 2020.  

Information about Coquitlam’s other technology investments and plans can be found at  coquitlam.ca/smart.

About the Canada Community-Building Fund

The Canada Community-Building Fund delivers funding to local government infrastructure and capacity-building projects. Administered in B.C. by the Union of B.C. Municipalities, the fund provides local governments with a permanent, stable and indexed source of infrastructure funding.  For more information on federal infrastructure programs, visit: www.infrastructure.gc.ca.

Media contact:
Danny Bandiera
Manager Information Communications and Technology
City of Coquitlam
604-927-6301
dbandiera@coquitlam.ca 

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