"We're obviously extremely excited," said Conley Kehler, Senior VP at Valley Fiber.

The Winkler-based technology firm has announced that it has formalized an agreement with the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) and DIF Capital Partners to invest in the $328 million Manitoba Fiber Project. The agreement builds on a previously announced $260 million partnership between the three entities to bring dedicated fiber Internet to southern Manitoba.

"There are so many under-serviced rural Manitobans," said Kehler, noting the project grew to include more communities as the three parties came to the table with more money for the effort.

This latest deal will see the construction of 2,657 kilometres of mainline fiberoptic cabling throughout 53 rural Manitoba municipalities, targeting 48,500 households with dedicated fiber-to-the-home. According to a Valley Fiber news release, customers will have access to Valley Fiber’s full product offerings which include Internet, television services, and phone services for both residential and business. Project regions include West Interlake, East Interlake, Central Manitoba, Eastern Manitoba, and the Winnipeg River Region.

Construction has already started, noted Kehler.

"We're heading west down Highway 3 towards Manitou and beyond. We're also starting work in the Hanover municipality, and going east of the Red River to De Salaberry, St. Pierre and St. Malo, and we're going to go up from there," he explained. "We haven't talked to all municipalities but we certainly are in the stages of talking to local governments, and what it means for them."

Under the agreement, Valley Fiber will administer all aspects of construction, installation, operations, and maintenance of the new dedicated fiber infrastructure.

According to Kehler, the Manitoba Fiber Project will be a game-changer for rural Manitobans navigating a post-COVID environment of increased digital learning, healthcare and employment.

"We know that COVID has done what it's done...are we going to go back to what it was? No, we're not," he said. "Are we going to go to something new? I think we are. I think we're just getting into that right now. Where it's going to land, I don't know, but we do know there are many under-serviced Manitobans."

Additionally, there will be economic spin-offs, noted Kehler, adding this is a unique project with world-class technology done by Manitobans, for Manitobans.

"We grew up in these small towns, and I've had the opportunity to go throughout Manitoba to many municipalities, and I just look at the great lifestyle and quality of living that comes with rural Manitoba that many people don't know about," he said. "But to bring another level of opportunity for economic development in these wonderful towns, that's one of the things we're very proud of."

According to Valley Fiber, up to 400 jobs will be created during the construction phase, with an additional 50 permanent jobs created within the company alone.