Inuvik business owner welcomes Mackenzie Valley fibre optic link

A business owner in Inuvik, N.W.T.,is welcoming the start of construction of the Mackenzie Valley Fibre Optic Line.

N.W.T. Finance MinisterMichaelMiltenberger, aboriginal leaders andfiveMLAsattended a ground-breaking ceremony in the town on Wednesday.

Ledcor, a construction company based in Vancouver,will build the fibre line running from Fort Simpson toWrigley,Tulita, Norman Wells, Fort Good Hope andInuvik. It's expected to measure between 1,100 and 1,200 kilometres.

Fibre lines havemore carrying capacity for telecommunications and high bandwidth applications such as internet than the microwave relay towers currently used to transmit telecommunications along the Mackenzie Valley.

Once construction of the line to Inuvik is finished, Northwestel will operate and maintain it for 20 years.

BernieMacNeilowns Arctic Digital Ltd., a computer and server support company. Heis optimistic the project will bring more contracts for local businesses.

"We certainlyhope it does. We definitely would like to see some of the builders and proponents of it use some of our expertise and service and support."

The project is estimated to cost $82 million and be completed by mid-2016.