Connecting communities: Rogers and Agnico Eagle bring fast and reliable wireless service to 180km of rural highway in Cochrane area

As part of Rogers’ commitment to build 5G networks and connect rural, remote, and Indigenous communities across Canada, we’ve recently worked with Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (“Agnico Eagle”) to build eight new 5G wireless towers along Highway 652. The new towers provide seamless wireless connectivity along 180 km of Highway 652 between Cochrane and Agnico Eagle’s Detour Lake Mine, making travel along the highway corridor safer for residents, business travellers, and Agnico Eagle employees. These towers are almost all off-grid, primarily powered by wind and solar energy. As part of this investment, Rogers has also built the first-ever wireless tower in Taykwa Tagamou Nation.

“We are investing to expand our world-class networks to connect even more communities across Canada, with a focus on indigenous communities, rural areas, and highways without wireless coverage today. All Canadians should be able to easily connect to family, business, and emergency services no matter where they are, and we are proud to work with our partners to bring wireless service to this previously unserved section of Highway 652 and Taykwa Tagamou Nation,” said Ron McKenzie, Chief Technology and Information Officer, Rogers Communications.

“Agnico Eagle is proud to be a part of this historic partnership with Rogers to provide wireless connectivity to communities in Northern Ontario. The new public 5G network along Highway 652 will bring connectivity from Cochrane to our Detour Lake mine and to surrounding partners and communities where we operate. Increasing access to reliable wireless service is not only vital to safety and success, but plays a key role in ongoing reconciliation efforts and our contribution to the social and economic development of communities where we live and work,” said Andre Leite, Vice President, Ontario, Agnico Eagle.

In addition to the eight towers along the highway, Rogers also worked in partnership with Taykwa Tagamou Nation to build a new tower in their community and bring wireless coverage to residents for the first time. This new wireless service will help residents stay connected with friends and family, as well as support economic development and improve access to emergency services.

“Reconciliation must be achieved by a genuine understanding of the exceptional circumstances faced by the First Nation you work with – and then coming to the table as a true partner in achieving mutual goals. In our experience, Taykwa Tagamou Nation’s partnership with Rogers achieved just that,” said Chief Bruce Archibald, Taykwa Tagamou Nation. “Our enhanced connectivity provides us with everything from improved safety when hunting and harvesting in our vast Traditional Territory to providing a competitive edge in the modern economy, and everything in between. Our partnership with Rogers is as unique as we are and fulfills our community’s many growing needs.” 

“Our community is absolutely thrilled by our partnership with Rogers,” continued Deputy Chief Derek Archibald. “First Nations can only be truly in the driver’s seat of their economic and educational destinies if they are connected to the right partners and hubs of excellence. Because of our partnership with Rogers, Taykwa Tagamou Nation is economically and competitively ready for the opportunities of today; while ensuring our youth are educationally connected for the opportunities of tomorrow.”

Last year, Rogers and Agnico Eagle launched a 5G Wireless Private Network (WPN) at the Detour Lake Mine. Detour Lake is the largest gold producing mine in Canada and the first of its kind in Canada to be fully connected over a 5G Wireless Private Network, providing enhanced coverage, end-to-end reliability, full redundancy, and a low latency network across its 80-square-kilometre operation. The 5G WPN at Detour Lake Mine provides workers with better connectivity, communication, and safety today while enabling a truly scalable network that will power thousands of new solutions.