Satellite wireless service announced for the Port aux Basques region.

Burin-St. Georges M.P., Bill Matthews, on behalf of Jane Stewart, Minister of Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC), Julie Bettney, Minister of Human Resources and Employment and lead minister for the Strategic Social Plan, Kelvin Parsons, MHA - LaPoile and George Anderson, chairperson of the Marine and Mountain Zone Corporation, today announced an innovative communications pilot project for the Port aux Basques Region. Human Resources Development Canada is contributing $317,709 towards the project, while the province�s Strategic Social Plan and the Marine and Mountain Zone Corporation are each contributing $15,000. The pilot project will enable access to digital satellite technology, which will permit the entire region to participate in a wide range of social and economic development opportunities.

Speaking at the official launch in Port aux Basques, Matthews said that this is a significant event for South West Coast residents. "The application of this specialized communications technology will be multi-functional and beneficial to a variety of user groups. Tele-medicine, tele-education, video conferencing and high-speed Internet data services will be available to participating groups, organizations, and individual households. I�m excited about the limitless applications and benefits this technology can provide and I�m pleased that HRDC has played a leadership role in making this service a reality," he said.

Minister Bettney, speaking from St. John�s, said: "This is an exciting day for the Port aux Basques region. This project, which will connect businesses, stakeholders and the general public to the information highway through the latest satellite technology, is another positive way to celebrate the new millennium. This service is a vital community development tool that will be fully utilized for the benefit of all residents. It is in keeping with the spirit of the province�s Strategic Social Plan to assist communities to develop innovative and coordinated approaches to social and economic development."

Kelvin Parsons, MHA - Burgeo - Lapoile, said: "This is an excellent example of what we can accomplish when all levels of government and its partners work towards a common goal. This leading edge technology will assist a wide variety of user groups to capitalize on many communication applications now within our reach. This service is all about jobs and growth and is an important tool to help develop businesses and business opportunities in rural Newfoundland and Labrador."

George Anderson, chairperson with the Marine and Mountain Zone Corporation, said that the Information Technology project provides an important opportunity for the economic diversification and development of the entire Southwest Coast region. "I want to thank all of the key players who put this complex undertaking together. I am sure that this will be the first of many such projects for rural Newfoundland and Labrador," he said.

This pilot project will examine the feasibility of partnering with the Dr. Charles L. Legrow Health Care Centre, which was fitted with state-of-the-art satellite communications equipment. Initial testing has proven that the system is capable of providing wide-scale expansion of high-speed Internet and video conferencing services to the South West Coast region.

The technology will be available to a wide variety of user groups such as governments, the College of the North Atlantic, Health Canada, Dr. Charles L. Legrow Health Care Centre, Marine Atlantic, Public Libraries Board, the Marine and Mountain Zone Corporation, the Gateway Community Development Corporation and many others.

The provision of electronic information accessibility in rural Newfoundland and Labrador has been a challenge. This project will virtually eliminate all obstacles related to the exchange of information providing faster, more convenient services, assisting in the development of E-commerce and offering a broader, more responsive health care and education service.

Backgrounder attached

The event will be available live on the Internet at the following web sites:

//www.nf.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/menu/home.htm
www.gatewaytonewfoundland.com

Media contact:

Regional Manager Communications
Human Resources Development Canada
St. John�s, NF
(709) 772-5346

Mary MacNab
Communications Director
Strategic Social Plan
St. John�s, NF
(709) 729-0175/cell 685-4054

Cathy Lomond
Vice Chairperson
Marine and Mountain Zone Corporation
Channel-Port aux Basques, NF
(709) 695-9350

Michael Mooney
Associate Director, TETRA
(709) 737-6654

Port aux Basques satellite wireless network pilot project

The objective of this pilot project is to provide high-speed wireless satellite technology to allow individuals, businesses and service providers in the Port aux Basques area to have access to the worldwide information highway. The pilot will assess the feasibility of providing these services in a partnership arrangement with all interested stakeholders in the area.

Community-based wireless technologies for the provision of high-speed multi-point connectivity from external partners back to the Remote Community Services Telecentre (RCST).

Implementation of Secure Virtual Private Networks through shared facilities.

Provision of reliable high speed Internet connectivity to community based agencies and partners.

Provision of high quality real time video conferencing.

Provide high speed Internet service to the Port aux Basques area.

Enhance the capacity of the community to participate in E-commerce.

Deliver Internet-based services to rural communities.

Provide infrastructure to enable the community to develop Internet-based products and services.

Evaluate the feasibility of using this technology for future community development i.e. Labour Market Information, Community Capacity Building and the principles of information sharing. This is an integrated partnership approach to human development.

Possibility of developing this technology in other parts of the province, country and world.

The RCST satellite facility at the hospital would be shared by multiple locations within the community. The following community sites would be initially linked into the system: Information Resource Centre, Regional Economic Development Board, College of the North Atlantic, Port aux Basques Chamber of Commerce and the Public Libraries Board.

Satellite - The primary communications link into the pilot communities will be the satellite facility developed by the RCST Consortium, which allows a community to choose the communication speeds they need to deliver their services at an affordable cost, with the flexibility to add additional capacity as needed.

Wireless - A community network will be built within the pilot communities using wireless systems to provide high-speed shared access to the satellite facilities.

Internet- All applications and services within the RCST model are based on Internet standards.

The hospital will be able to take advantage of this initiative by expanding upon their internship training for medical doctors. Real-time video conferencing and high speed Internet access will be readily available for training, diagnostics and learning practices. Medical students will have the opportunity to complete medical training in Port aux Basques via real-time teleconferencing. Attracting doctors to rural areas has been a difficult process. The medical applications of this technology will enhance the recruitment and retention of medical staff for the hospital facility.

Open access to the technology will be made available at the Information Resource Centre and eventually through remote sites set up in rural communities.

The College will benefit by being able to provide its students and faculty with instant access to other colleges and learning institutions throughout the world via video conferencing. Courses that would normally not be delivered could now be available at the college. This will be accomplished by providing online instruction to the students in the region.

Marine Atlantic has expressed an interest in utilizing the technology to provide more effective and convenient customer service. Business travellers will be able to have instant access to the Internet and video conferencing in a designated business centre located on board the ship. In addition, tourists will be able to avail of virtual tours of the entire province. Information kiosks can be made available both onboard ship and at the Port aux Basques terminal that will be directly connected via satellite and updated daily. As well, there is the potential to establish a virtual sick bay on Marine Atlantic vessels connected to local hospitals.

The Corporation is interested in utilizing this technology as an enabling tool to advance and facilitate initiatives in its key priority sectors of tourism, acquaculture, small scale manufacturing and agrifoods.

The Corporation is also interested in pursuing opportunities that this technology will make available, particularly in the area of E-commerce.

The developing agrifoods sector in the Codroy Valley will be able to benefit from this project. Video conferencing on emerging opportunities, information gathering and consultations with Agrifood specialists will greatly facilitate the development of this industry.

The ability to gather relevant information on a timely basis has been a challenge in rural areas. The utilization of state-of-the art satellite communications will greatly improve the research abilities of development groups and assist in the economic rejuvenation of the region.

Small scale manufacturing opportunities for the area will be enhanced by the provision of this technology. The Port aux Basques Industrial Mall will eventually be fully connected allowing tenants complete and timely access to E-commerce, data transfer and state-of-the-art communications with other businesses. Ultimately, the Industrial Mall will become home to a core group of businesses that will specialize in the utilization of satellite communications.

It will be possible to market the satellite technology to other communities and geographic regions, and will give companies involved in this project the ability to capitalize on the development and marketing of these products. The RCST is already exporting its IT specialization to South Africa, South America and Asia.

The total cost of this initiative is $1.8 million financed by the RCST Consortium and their partners. Marine Atlantic has spent approximately $100,000 to upgrade its technological capability to position itself to fully utilize the wireless satellite service. HRDC is contributing $317,709 through the Office of Learning Technology and the Pan Canadian fund. The Strategic Social Policy Office of the provincial department of Human Resources and Employment and the Marine and Mountain Zone Corporation are each contributing $15,000. Partners who have made this project possible through financial and in kind contributions include TETRA, CANARIE Inc., Operation On-Line, Canadian Space Agency, European Space Agency, and Health Canada.

2000 06 22                     2:50 p.m.