​The Government of the Yukon, Department of Highways and Public Works is proposing the Dempster Fibre Project (DFP), that will see the construction of an approximately 800-km fibre optic line from Dawson City, Yukon, to Inuvik, Northwest Territories.  For the purposes of the Land Use Permit and Water Licence application, the project is defined as the section of the DFP located in the Northwest Territories. 

The fibre optic cable will enter the Northwest Territories at the Yukon/Northwest Territories border and then travel approximately 271 km north to Inuvik.  The project is located entirely within the Gwich'in Settlement Area (GSA), passing through the communities of Fort McPherson and Tsiigehtchic. 

Project Components:

• Fibre optic cable and conduit to be installed adjacent to the Dempster Highway along the Right of Way, extending form the Yukon border to Inuvik; and
• Handholes along the route.

The project will connect to an existing terminal facility in Inuvik and to existing buildings in communities along the route to provide service to those communities. 

Construction and operation of the project will require the following supporting activities:

• Geotechnical drilling to supplement any potential gaps or unknown conditions that are encountered;
• Use of pre-existing staging areas for equipment and materials (up to five staging areas may be used at one time);
• Construction of temporary camps to accommodate work crews;
• Clearing of vegetation as required in the right of way;
• Installation of conduits and fibre optic cable; and
• Ongoing operations and maintenance.