Valley Fiber to remediate ‘anything we’ve touched’

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This article was published 16/01/2024 (491 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

High-speed internet service to rural areas in southeast Manitoba could change how business is done and create opportunities that were impossible before its installation.

That was the story Winkler-based Valley Fiber was hoping would be the focus for residents in places like the RM of Tache. But a high-speed streaming of complaints from landowners about the mess left by contractors has stressed out RM staff and taxed municipal resources to keep track of construction that needs to be cleaned up.

Valley Fiber vice president and co-founder Conley Kehler and new vice president of network and field operations Joe Mack were at Tache council Jan. 9 explaining how the company is trying to do better with complaints around construction and remediation of its high-speed fibre installation in rural areas.

“The goal is when we’re done, you can’t tell we were there,” Mack, who was hired in December, told council.

Deputy Mayor George McGregor, who was filling in as chair of the meeting in Mayor Armand Poirier’s absence, said people where he lives in Landmark are very happy with the internet service Valley Fiber is providing. But he made clear to Mack the issue with remediation was a problem.

McGregor asked how far back Valley Fiber would go in its remediation.

“Everything, anything that we’ve touched,” replied Mack.

Most of that remediation will start in the spring as Valley Fiber approaches the end of its work in Tache. Kehler said they are about 75 percent done in the RM, with 500 customers connected and 2,000 more looking for service.

Construction has been longer than anticipated.

“I’ve had a hole in my yard for three years now,” said McGregor.

Kehler explained the fibre network was planned to be up and running by 2022 in Tache.

“Covid hit, supply chain was awful, gas prices go through the roof; the flood I think of the century – we had I think the most rain ever recorded in June of 2022. Snowfall in 2022 was ridiculous,” said Kehler.

He added that with expiries on things like Hydro locates, construction contractors were sometimes left idle waiting for a chance to dig rather than being moved to other rural areas Valley Fiber is set to hook up all over Manitoba.

“So setting expectations have been an extreme pain for those who have to answer the phone at Valley Fiber because customers were told we’re going to be here, and now some probably signed more than a year ago and we still haven’t got to them and that’s not only painful for the customer, to be honest it’s painful for us too,” said Kehler.

Tache public works manager Andy Brandt got a chance to explain his pain at the meeting.

“I’m not going to apologize for being stern because I’m the guy who takes the brunt of your complaints… of which I just received some yesterday,” started Brandt.

He spoke about dealing with the contractors at Admiral Underground and Quantum Utilities, acknowledging Quantum changed some practices after he lodged a complaint.

“But I shouldn’t have to file that complaint to get there. That should be your responsibility,” said Brandt.

A big concern for him is how trenching will affect drainage in spring. The Brandt explained how residents are directly affected.

“People take pride on their frontages and it seems like the contractors, they have a line that they need to follow and they just plow through these grass sections. And now a lot of these constituents are saying what’s going to happen here? You’ve flattened it out with you CAT but a CAT will leave marks three-four inches deep, and they have to cut grass with their lawnmowers on that. I don’t think that’s acceptable,” said Brandt.

He said personally, his biggest task is trying to keep up with where Valley Fiber has done work.

“I can’t fly drone enough to document all the areas that you guys have touched in this RM, and all the constituents who haven’t even commented yet – they’re sitting quiet because they’re waiting for you guys to finish,” said Brandt.

“I’m going out there twice a day, and that’s taking resources from the RM. And I can’t make it clear enough as an RM we can’t afford that. It’s very disheartening to see our constituents suffer because of a company coming in and wanting to make money.

“And when I say suffer, it’s not suffer because you’re going through and damaging the ditches and their frontages. It’s suffer because you’re taking resources from this RM to track your goings on,” said Brandt.

Kehler and Mack promised maps were coming Brandt’s way.

They also admitted some municipalities chose to follow the company’s contractors to do the remediation themselves at the municipality’s own expense.

Brandt also said he would like more communication, pointing to the work done at the Lorette Golf Course development that was not authorized by the RM. He was told that would happen, and a direct phone number would be given to RM staff.

Valley Fiber is running the $328-million Manitoba Fibre Project with help through loans from the Canada Infrastructure Bank and DIF Capital Partners.

The company’s internet service is indeed fast, winning PC Magazine’s Best Gaming Quality the last two years.

“I think we want to remind residents we want to make Tache a better place to live: health care, good education, working online, all those things that are possible when better connected,” said Kehler.