There are available to Sundre's council a number of possible business models to introduce high speed Internet to the community.
Vic Pirie, director of finance and administration, told council during its June 27 meeting — its last scheduled meeting before summer recess — that staff has been actively pursuing the investigation of potential options to bring back to council for its consideration.
Along with the town's economic development officer Jon Allan, Pirie said he had attended several meetings with companies such as O-Net, which is the Internet provider for services in Olds.
“They have one of the most — if not the most — progressive Internet setups in Canada,” he said, referring to the “speed and the amount of capacity that is built into their operations.”
Following a four-hour meeting with O-Net, town staff emerged with information that will help with the process of selecting the most suitable business model for Sundre, he said.
A meeting with a Telus representative had been attended as well, leading to a good conversation and a different kind of potential partnership. During the summer recess, a meeting was also planned with the Town of Didsbury that forged a partnership with Telus to find out more about why that council chose that direction and how that business plan is working out for that municipality, he said.
Staff was also looking to set up a meeting with representatives from Axia, which is the Internet provider that controls the Alberta's SuperNet at this moment, he said.
“They have placed Internet in different communities such as the Town of Vulcan.”
During its June 20 meeting, council carried a motion to amend the economic development department's 2016 business plan to include “Broadband Feasibility Project” as an area of focus.
“Introducing fibre optics into the town if it were to happen would be an economic driver,” said Allan.
“We felt in administration that it would make sense to continue the study of this feasibility under the department of economic development.”
Coun. Cheri Funke said that while she understood the importance of high speed, broadband Internet, she was concerned about the potential cost it could represent for taxpayers.
“I still have a very big problem with spending taxpayers' money on this project when we know we have better places, in my opinion, to spend the money,” she said, referring to other ailing infrastructure that needs attention.
“I'm not against broadband, I'm against having the town invest money in a program that (costs) too much money for a small town to pay for.”
Mayor Terry Leslie pointed out that council had previously approved $20,000 in funding from an infrastructure reserve to study the proposal and come up with a business case.
“So this is a follow up to that decision,” he said.
“Recognizing your point that the business case has to make financial sense, because you are correct — we are a small municipality. And before we take any steps further, we need to be certain that the risks are understood if we're going to move ahead.”
Funke inquired how much of the $20,000 had been spent, and Pirie replied that none had been up to that point, but that the funds would be used to develop the business case. Administration hoped to bring information back to council when it returns from summer break, he said.
Council's regular sessions resume Aug. 29 starting at 6 p.m. at the town office.
