Rogers Communications has completed a major infrastructure upgrade to bring high-speed internet access to approximately 3,000 homes and businesses across the Southern Gulf Islands of British Columbia, including Pender, Mayne, and Galiano Islands. This $10 million initiative involved laying nearly eight kilometres of fibre-optic cable beneath the ocean floor, linking these islands directly to the mainland’s network.
The new undersea fibre line enables Rogers to offer its Xfinity internet service to these communities, delivering download speeds up to 2 Gbps—an increase of more than 80 times over the previous maximum speed of 25 Mbps. This substantial boost in bandwidth supports seamless streaming, video conferencing, remote work, and other digital activities critical to residents and local businesses.
“This project was a one-of-a-kind undertaking to connect these island communities with reliable fibre infrastructure,” stated Mark Kennedy, Rogers’ Chief Technology Officer. The installation required a dedicated team of 40 professionals, five vessels, and over 12,000 hours of work, with divers carefully placing the cable to minimize environmental impact.
Designed to withstand the region’s frequent storms and power outages, the new network infrastructure significantly improves service resilience for these remote areas. “Residents on the Southern Gulf Islands can now enjoy Rogers Xfinity, Canada’s most dependable internet, enabling them to stream, connect, and work without interruption,” said Bret Leech, President of Residential Services at Rogers.
Historically challenged by geographic isolation and limited network options, the Southern Gulf Islands now have access to modern, high-capacity internet essential for participating in today’s digital economy. This upgrade is part of Rogers’ broader commitment to expanding multi-gigabit internet services nationwide, backed by nearly $70 billion invested in infrastructure over the past 20 years.
With this undersea fibre project, Rogers continues to strengthen connectivity in underserved regions, empowering communities and businesses with faster, more reliable internet access.
