Kaslo infoNet Society is continuing to build out fibre to more areas of our North Kootenay Lake neighbourhood while preparing to expand our service into new areas on the East Shore. Work has begun in Meadow Creek, soon to be followed by Cooper Creek and Howser.

More and more people are locating here so they can live in a beautiful and healthful environment while working productively using high-speed and dependable Internet service. They add young families to our population, countering the past tendency for communities like Kaslo to become retirement communities with declining services. Our young residents used to migrate to cities for lack of opportunities in their home communities; now we are enabling them to return to familiar surroundings and contribute to local prosperity.

As a nonprofit society, KiN recycles its cash flow in the community—breaking the traditional pattern of huge corporations that extract millions of dollars from our region while offering lacklustre service or no service at all. We employ talented residents and purchase everything possible locally, contributing towards a million dollars of economic activity annually.

Internet service now is the most essential communication service available and we strive to keep it reliable even during power outages. During the recent fires in North Kootenay Lake, KiN served as an important communication service, assisting firefighters and enabling residents to remain informed about evacuations and available emergency services.

During the past year, KiN helped to manage a fibre-optic installation project for East Shore Internet Society, based in Crawford Bay. We supplied them with fibre cable and communication equipment in addition to demonstrating how to create an efficient Internet network. In the next few years, we anticipate further cooperation so they will be able to offer the same quality Internet service that we enjoy in our service area.

Internet service now is the most essential communication service available and we strive to keep it reliable even during power outages. During the recent fires in North Kootenay Lake, KiN served as an important communication service, assisting firefighters and enabling residents to remain informed about evacuations and available emergency services.

During the past year, KiN helped to manage a fibre-optic installation project for East Shore Internet Society, based in Crawford Bay. We supplied them with fibre cable and communication equipment in addition to demonstrating how to create an efficient Internet network. In the next few years, we anticipate further cooperation so they will be able to offer the same quality Internet service that we enjoy in our service area.

The people who make this happen are our multi-talented and hard-working employees: Tyler Hamilton, Stewart Coonce, Sam Truchon, Mark Thomson, Scott Gillies, Hillary Schell, Matt Low, Marco de Bortoli, and Executive Director Isaac Maxfield. Part-time employees include our versatile excavator-contractor Bueno Bauer, Eric Early, Cam Gillies, Alan Middlemiss, Christian Dube, and Saf Bauer. The crew across the lake working on the RDCK East Shore Connectivity project is James Croft, Leroy Delport, Bradley Delport, Jacob Dulmage, and Jared Savoie. Bringing our total employees to nineteen through the construction season. Our volunteer Board includes Josée Bayeur, Angele Ortega, Bob Gazzard, Jean-Michel Longval, Isaac Maxfield, Dan Trobak, myself, and (departing) Cassie Gerretsen.

Donald Scarlett

KiN Board Chair