Public Notice

Installation of a fiber optic network at the Kuujjuaq airport – Public Comments Invited

March 15, 2025 – The authority must determine whether the proposed Installation of a fiber optic network at the Kuujjuaq airport, located in Kuujjuaq is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

To help inform this determination, the authority is inviting comments from the public respecting that determination. All comments received will be considered public and may be posted online.

Written comments must be submitted by April 15, 2025 to:

Environmental and Aboriginal affairs - Québec region

aea-eaa@tc.gc.ca

 

The Proposed Project

The Kativik Regional Government is planning the deployment of a 455 km fiber optic network from Kawawachikamach to Kuujjuaq to provide high-speed internet to Kuujjuaq and other surrounding communities.

To carry out the project, a network of underground pipes, composed of conduits and manholes which will accommodate future fiber optic cables, must be built along the south side of the access road to the Kuujjuaq airport, property of Transport Canada. This network of underground conducts will be installed outside the current footprint of the access road in order to avoid damage to the latter and to minimize traffic disruptions during construction. Excavation of a trench, preceding the installation of underground conducs, will extend from the draw boxes near the NAV CANADA LOC IVP shelter, along the airport access road and end at the Telephone station B. The trench will be approximately 465 m long and have a maximum depth of 1.2 m, manholes will also be constructed. The volume of excavated soil is estimated at 340 m3.

Another trench is planned between the airport substation/generator building and the nearest pole of the Bell pole line to the rear of the shelter currently in place, totaling a distance of approximately 6 mr. This trench will accommodate the underground pipeline and will allow the fiber optic cables to be pulled. The volume of excavated soil is estimated at 5 m3.

A trench, 190 m long and around 1.2 m depth, is also planned on Transport Canada land located around 5 km south-west of the airport. The volume of excavated soil is estimated at 57 m³.

An excavator (JD250 or equivalent) with a digging height of approximately 10.56 m or a small backhoe/excavator (JD320 or equivalent) with a maximum height with the arm extended of approximately 3.48 m will be used for the work. trench excavation. The excavated material will be reused to bury the new underground pipes. Excess materials will be removed from site for proper disposal by the general contractor or its subcontractor if not reused on site.

A flatbed truck will be used for rolls of fiber optic cable when pulling the cables through the pipeline network. An articulated/telescopic bucket truck with a maximum working height of 19.8m (working height should not exceed 7.62m) will be used to install fiber optic cables on the telephone pole line located on the side west of runway 07/25.

No tree cutting is necessary prior to excavation of the trenches.

The work is planned for spring or summer 2025.