SaskTel is reporting the first phase of its Rural Fibre Initiative is nearly complete.  

Announced in 2020, SaskTel is looking to expand fibre optic internet to other jurisdictions of the province, including many rural communities. 

Their plan is broken down into four phases, centered around different communities. 

Phase one, which is 95 percent complete, includes the construction of networks in Balgonie, Biggar, Langham, and Pilot Butte.  

Phase two includes Kindersley, Meadow Lake, and Rosetown. Construction has already began in Kindersley and will soon start in Meadow Lake, and Rosetown. 

Phase three includes Canora, Carlyle, Esterhazy, Fort Qu’Apple, Hudson Bay, Indian Head, Kamsack, La Ronge, Lumsden, Maple Creek, Moosomin, Shaunavon, Watrous, and Wynyard. SaskTel plans to begin construction in a number of these communities in 2022. 

SaskTel plans to start phase 4 in 2023. The communities in this phase include Assiniboia, Buffalo Narrows, Caronport, Carrot River, Dalmeny, Davidson, Dundurn, Foam Lake, Gravelbourg, Gull Lake, Île-à-la-Crosse, Kipling, La Loche, Lanigan, Macklin, Osler, Outlook, Oxbow, Preeceville, Regina Beach, Rocanville, Shellbrook, Unity, and Wadena.  

“We've seen great expansion in our fiber program,” said Lindsay Mazenc, SaskTel's external communications manager. “We actually just announced in December of 2021 that we are doing another fiber announcement. We announced 24 communities that we plan to bring SaskTel Infinite to as part of the fourth phase of the $100 million real fiber initiative.”   

She added as they expand the Rural Fibre Initiative they will be including more rural areas.