Kaslo infoNet President’s Report – November 19, 2025 AGM

2025 marked a year of expansion of the Kaslo infoNet service area, along with progress towards our original goal of providing fibre-to-the-home service to the entire north arm of Kootenay Lake.

Progress continued in Meadow Creek, with its fibre distribution network now essentially complete with increased available bandwidth. Arrangements for crossing Duncan River with fibre and negotiating obscure rights of way have been tedious but when they are complete next year Meadow Creek will receive the same fibre service as the rest of the KiN system, with Cooper Creek and Howser to follow soon.

KiN originally focused on the north and west Kootenay Lake communities because Riondel had its own local cable service and East Shore Internet Society (ESIS) took on a large project intended to provide fibre Internet connectivity to communities south of Riondel. KiN offered to work closely with ESIS to ensure success with their project, but when ESIS chose to go it alone, several east shore areas remained underserved.

KiN had planned for years to extend underwater fibre service from Johnsons Landing to Birchdale and southward, then to Balfour in order to create a redundant fibre loop for the North Arm communities. In the meantime the RDCK accepted KiN’s proposal to provide fibre service to their water facilities in Riondel and Boswell, so it made sense for us to provide residential Internet service wherever underwater fibre could reach underserved communities on the east shore.

Things came together in 2025. Riondel Cable Service (RCS) agreed to let KiN serve the community with fibre as long as their existing service was not reduced. Overhead coaxial cable is being replaced with higher capacity underground fibre and RCS agreed for their office to host KiN’s backup server system, which will provide system security even during a disaster such as a serious fire season. Lake fibre has been run to Kootenay Landing, Gray Creek and Boswell--which will enjoy fibre service next spring.

KiN expanded its hiring to manage construction in so many locations. To facilitate the East Shore construction, KiN hired 4 local workers for Riondel and used a water taxi service for Kaslo personnel. At the peak of our operation in 2025 KiN employed a total of 11 seasonal workers in addition to 9 year- round staff. Along with ever-increasing local purchasing and revenues, KiN has become a significant employer in the area.

KiN’s volunteer Board takes pride in being part of an essential service which benefits our Kootenay Lake community in so many ways. We celebrated our 29th birthday on October 21 and we keep growing each year. Thanks to Josée Bayeur, Bob Gazzard, Jean-Michel Longval, Isaac Maxfield (also serving as our Executive Director), Angele Ortega and Dan Trobak (who recently resigned) for another successful season.

Donald Scarlett

KiN Board Chair