Rogers has announced the activation of three new cellular towers along British Columbia’s Highway 16, known as the Highway of Tears, increasing public safety and wireless coverage in the region.
This initiative is part of Rogers’ commitment to truth and reconciliation and aims to connect Indigenous communities through improved network infrastructure.
“We are proud to provide 50 kilometres of 5G cellular connectivity on sections of Highway 16, as part of our continuous work to bring seamless wireless service between Prince Rupert and Prince George,” said Ron McKenzie, Chief Technology and Information Officer at Rogers on Friday in an issued statement.
The new towers, part of a larger wireless service expansion project in partnership with the Canadian government and the Province of British Columbia, aim to address safety and coverage gaps along the highway. This stretch of road between Prince Rupert and Prince George commemorates the Indigenous women and girls who have disappeared or been murdered along the route.
“These new cellular towers are lifelines to all of us who travel along Highway 16 regularly,” said Mary Teegee, a Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) activist.
The project includes a tower at Seeley Lake Park, providing 13 kilometres of new wireless coverage, and two additional towers offering 37 kilometres of coverage between Seven Sisters Mountain and Pacific.
When completed, Rogers will deliver 252 kilometres of new cellular coverage along Highway 16, blanketing the entire 720-kilometre corridor with wireless access. This initiative aligns with the 2006 Highway of Tears Symposium report’s recommendation to enhance safety for Indigenous women and girls.
Rogers is actively collaborating with various levels of government to enhance network and innovation investments throughout British Columbia, including other cellular expansion projects along Highways 3, 4, 14, 95, and 97.
