Municipality of Shelburne partners with Bell Aliant to expand all-fibre broadband network

Direct fibre connections coming to an additional 750 homes and businesses

SHELBURNE, NS, May 29, 2019 – The Municipality of Shelburne today announced an agreement with Bell Aliant to expand Bell’s broadband fibre network to an additional 750 households and businesses in the areas of Birchtown, Churchover, Jordan Ferry, Sandy Point, Ohio Road and Welshtown. The project is jointly funded by the Municipality and Bell Aliant.

“The Municipality of Shelburne has long recognized that access to broadband communication services is necessary if we are going to create an environment where residents and businesses can thrive,” said Warden Penny Smith. “The provision of high-speed Internet service continues to be one of the top priorities of the Municipal Council.”

The Municipality and Bell Aliant have a long history of working together to provide Internet service in Shelburne. In the fall of 2016, with financial support from the Municipality and the Province of Nova Scotia, Bell Aliant brought its all-fibre network to Shelburne Marine Industrial Park as well as 343 homes in the areas of Highway 203, Ohio Road, Sandy Point and Jordan Falls.

“Bell Aliant is proud to build on our successful partnership with the Municipality of Shelburne to provide even more residents and businesses in the community with access to the most advanced network technology available,” said Glen LeBlanc, Vice Chair Atlantic, Bell Canada. “Direct connections to the Bell fibre network provide data speeds of up to the 1.5 Gigabits per second, the fastest consumer Internet service in the country.”

The design work to eventually expand fibre network access to 95% of municipal residents, including those in Lockeport, is complete. The Municipality will continue to look at opportunities to fund that expansion and is working with Bell Aliant on an application to the Develop Nova Scotia broadband fund.

“This first stage of expansion is being funded by Bell Aliant and the Municipality. Once additional provincial funding is secured, we will continue to work towards our goal of being among the first rural municipalities in Nova Scotia to have direct fibre network connections to at least 95% of our residents,” said Warden Smith.

The network expansion will begin in the next 30 days and the Municipality will post maps of the expansion areas on its website.

For more information about Bell Aliant Fibe Internet and TV services, please visit BellAliant.ca.

About the Municipality of Shelburne
Conveniently located an hour from the Yarmouth Ferry and just two hours from Halifax, on Nova Scotia’s beautiful South Shore, the Municipality of the District of Shelburne is a unique, rural community with a lot to experience. The Municipality boasts a rich maritime history and the third best natural harbour in the world. We invite you to come and give yourself a rest from life’s hustle and bustle, where you can enjoy everything we have to offer at your own pace. We value a quality of life that is second to none and we want to share this with you.

About Bell Aliant
Part of BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), the country’s largest communications company, Halifax-based Bell Aliant provides advanced consumer and business communication services throughout Atlantic Canada. To learn more, please visit BellAliant.ca or BCE.ca.

The Bell Let’s Talk initiative promotes Canadian mental health with national awareness and anti-stigma campaigns like Bell Let’s Talk Day and significant Bell funding of community care and access, research and workplace leadership initiatives throughout the country. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.

Media inquiries:

Tom MacEwan, LLB
CAO, Municipality of Shelburne
902-875-3544 ext. 223
tom.macewan@municipalityofshelburne.ca

Katie Hatfield
Bell Aliant
902-487-6198
katie.hatfield@bellaliant.ca