History of Nova Scotia
with special attention given to
Communications and Transportation

Chapter 26
1995 January - December


Index with links to the other chapters


1995 January 19

Nova Scotia Cable TV Companies

The appendix to CRTC Decision 95-21, 19 January 1995, set out a list of cable companies affiliated with Chamcook Communications Limited, Chamcook, New Brunswick. At that time, Chamcook Communications was "authorized to distribute U.S. television signals, via microwave or optical fibre, to affiliated cable television undertakings in the Atlantic region ... using microwave and optical fibre delivery systems". Chamcook Communications was then the supplier of U.S. television signals WMED-TV (PBS) Calais and WLBZ-TV (NBC) Bangor to cable TV systems in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland.

The following is the Nova Scotia portion of the list of cable companies affiliated with (contractually obligated to take and pay for television signals supplied by) Chamcook Communications Limited. Actually, this is a list of cable systems carrying WMED-TV (PBS) Calais and WLBZ-TV (NBC) Bangor, but most Nova Scotia systems carried at least one of these signals, thus this gives a pretty good overview of the cable television companies operating in Nova Scotia in late 1994 and early 1995, and the general geographic locations served by each. Source:
CRTC Decision 95-21
    http://www.crtc.gc.ca/ENG/bcasting/decision/1995/d9521.txt

1995 January 20

Cable TV Sector Highly Fragmented

Cable TV Licence Renewal Applications

A perusal of the geographic areas named in these applications
gives an idea of the high degree of fragmentation of the
cable television business in Nova Scotia in the mid-1990s.
(In the 1980s it was even more fragmented.)


...Canada's small cable companies are, after all, a creation of the CRTC itself. After having spent the 1970s resisting cable TV, the CRTC flip-flopped in the early 1980s by designating cable as the privileged instrument of Canada's broadcasting policy. First the CRTC created Cancom to deliver TV signals via satellite to small cable systems across the country. Then the CRTC frantically handed out hundreds of licences to small-town entrepreneurs who sensed that cable TV would be a monopoly bonanza. They were right. So long as cable television was a protected monopoly, the cash kept flowing. But the party ended when DTH (direct-to-home) satellite TV arrived in the mid-1990s...
"No Tears Needed for Cable Owners," by Matthew Fraser
The National Post, 9 April 2001

CRTC Public Notice 1995-10
The CRTC has received the following applications:

Applications 1-139 were from Newfoundland.
Applications 140-206 were from Nova Scotia.




Application number 140

Albert Bridge
and surrounding area
Nova Scotia


Application by Seaside Cable T.V. (1984) Limited, P.O. Box 279, Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, B1A 5V4, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Albert Bridge and surrounding areas expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Fire Hall, Marion Bridge




Application number 141

Amherst
and surrounding area
Nova Scotia

Application (941129900) by Bragg Communications Incorporated, P.O. Box 158, Oxford, Nova Scotia, B0M 1P0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Amherst and surrounding areas expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Cable Office, Upper Willow Street, Amherst




Application number 142

Annapolis Royal
and surrounding area
Nova Scotia

Application (941117400) by Joseph Shannon, 11 Paint Street, P.O. Box 790, Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia, B0E 2V0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Annapolis Royal and surrounding area expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
LeQuille Country Store, 9543 Highway #8, Annapolis Royal




Application number 143

Antigonish
and surrounding area
Nova Scotia

Application (941130700) by Bragg Communications Incorporated, P.O. Box 158, Oxford, Nova Scotia, B0M 1P0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Antigonish and surrounding area expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Cable Office, 30 College Street, Antigonish




Application number 144

Canso, Hazel Hill, Little Dover, Canso Tickle,
Arichat and Petit-de-Grat, Eskasoni,
Inverness, Louisdale, Mabou,
Milford Station, Shubenacadie,
Stewiacke, Elmsdale, Lantz, Enfield,
Nine Mile River, Lower Nine Mile River,
Alton and an area south of Elmsdale,
Port Hood, Marble Hill,
West Arichat, Whycocomagh
Nova Scotia

Applications (941106700, 941107500, 941108300, 941109100, 941110900, 941111700, 941112500, 941113300, 941114100, 941115800) by Rush Communications Limited, 11 Paint Street, Box 790, Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia, B0E 2V0, to renew the broadcasting licences of the (cable) distribution undertakings serving the above-mentioned localities expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
B. & G. Groceries, Lower Road, Arichat
Taylor's Market, Main Street, Canso
Band Office, Eskasoni
Jack's Corner Store, Main Street, Inverness
V.C. Marchand & Son Store, Louisdale
Mabou Communications Limited, 11541 Highway 19, Mabou
Cable Office, 2108 Highway #2, Milford Station
Co-op, 165 Main Street, Port Hood
Coop, West Arichat
Ralph's Dairy, Trans Canada Highway, Whycocomagh




Application number 145

Baddeck
Nova Scotia

Application (941126500) by Baddeck Cable T.V. Company Limited, P.O. Box 279, Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, B1A 5V4, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Baddeck expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Wong's Restaurant, Baddeck




Application number 146

Bass River
Nova Scotia

Application (941183600) by Bass River Cable Services Limited, 69 Walker Street, Truro, Nova Scotia, B2N 4A8, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Bass River expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Dominion Chair General Store, Bass River




Application number 147

Bedford, Sackville
and surrounding area
Nova Scotia

Application (941181000) by Shaw Cablesystems (N.S.) Limited, #480 - 171 West Esplanade, North Vancouver, British Columbia, V7M 3J9, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving the above-mentioned localities expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Cable Office, 367 Sackville Drive, Lower Sackville




Application number 148

Blandford, Blue Rocks
and surrounding area
Nova Scotia

Application (941153900) by Tancool Island Television System Limited, P.O. Box 201, Tantallon, Halifax County, Nova Scotia, B0J 3J0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (radiocommunication) distribution undertaking serving the above-mentioned localities expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Farrar's General Store, Big Tancook Island




Application number 149

Bridgetown, Lawrencetown, Paradise,
Upper Granville and Tupperville
Nova Scotia

Application (941118200) by Joseph Shannon, 11 Paint Street, P.O. Box 790, Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia, B0E 2V0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving the above-mentioned localities expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Paradise Country Store, 10233 Highway #1, Paradise




Application number 150

Caledonia, Meagher, Westfield,
South Brookfield, North Brookfiled
and surrounding area
Nova Scotia

Application (940989700) by Able Cablevision Limited, P.O. Box 449, Liverpool, Nova Scotia, B0T 1K0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving the above-mentioned localities expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
The Bank of Nova Scotia, Caledonia, Queen's County




Application number 151

Cheticamp
Nova Scotia

Application (941264400) by Acadian Communication Limited, P.O. Box 308, Cheticamp, Nova Scotia, B0E 1H0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (radiocommunication) distribution undertaking serving Cheticamp expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
The Cooperators, Main Street, Cheticamp




Application number 152

Barrington, Barrington Passage,
Clarks Harbour, Woods Harbour,
Charlesville, Shag Harbour,
Pubnico-Argyle, Argyle Head,
Oak Park, Sherose Island
and surrounding areas
Nova Scotia

Application (940985500) by Seabreeze Cablevision Limited, P.O. Box 1090, Shelburne, Nova Scotia, B0T 1W0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving the above-mentioned localities expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Cable Office, 3462 Highway #3, Barrington Passage




Application number 153

Collingwood and Collingwood Corner
Nova Scotia

Application (941128100) by John L. Bragg, P.O. Box 158, Oxford, Nova Scotia, B0M 1P0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Collingwood and Collingwood Corner expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Bragg Lumber Company Limited, Main Street, Collingwood




Application number 154

Dartmouth
and surrounding areas
Nova Scotia

Application (941213100) by Access Cable Television Limited, P.O. Box 1011, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, B2Y 4A4, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Dartmouth and surrounding areas expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Cable Office, 190 Victoria Road, Dartmouth




Application number 155

Debert
and surrounding area
Nova Scotia

Application (941190100) by COLCHESTER Cable Services Limited, 69 Walker Street, Truro, Nova Scotia, B2N 4A8, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Debert and surrounding areas expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Barnhill General Store, Plains Road, Debert




Application number 156

D'Escousse and Poulamon
Nova Scotia

Application (941119000) by Joseph Shannon, 11 Paint Street, P.O. Box 790, Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia, B0E 2V0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving D'Escousse and Poulamon expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Shamrock Store, D'Escousse




Application number 157

Digby
and surrounding area
Nova Scotia

Application (941176000) by Access Cable Television Limited, 190 Victoria Road, P.O. Box 1011, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, B2Y 4A4, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Digby and surrounding area expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Cable Office, 88 Warwick Street, Digby




Application number 158

East Port Medway, Voglers Cove,
Cherry Hill, Broad Cove
and surrounding areas
Nova Scotia

Application (940991300) by Able Cablevision Limited, P.O. Box 449, Liverpool, Nova Scotia, B0T 1K0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving the above-mentioned localities expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
StorePoint General Store, Voglers Cove




Application number 159

Freeport
Nova Scotia

Application (941210700) by Access Cable Television Limited, 190 Victoria Road, P.O. Box 1011, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, B2Y 4A4, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Freeport expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Thunber Landing, Freeport




Application number 160

Glace Bay
and surrounding area
Nova Scotia

Application (941123200) by Seaside Cable T.V. (1984) Limited, P.O. Box 279, Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, B1A 5V4, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Glace Bay and surrounding areas expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
1318 Grand Lake Road, Sydney - Glace Bay Highway, Sydney




Application number 161

Great Village and Glenholme
Nova Scotia

Application (941184400) by Bass River Cable Services Limited, 69 Walker Street, Truro, Nova Scotia, B2N 4A8, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Great Village and Glenholme expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Laytons General Store, Highway 2, Great Village




Application number 162

Greenfield, Chelsea
and surrounding areas
Nova Scotia

Application (940990500) by Able Cablevision Limited, P.O. Box 449, Liverpool, Nova Scotia, B0T 1K0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving the above-mentioned localities expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
General Store, Greenfield, Queen's County




Application number 163

Halifax
and surrounding area
Nova Scotia

Application (940987100) by Halifax Cablevision Limited to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Halifax and surrounding areas expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Halifax Cablevision Limited, 5841 Bilby Street, Halifax




Application number 164

Kennetcook
Nova Scotia

Applications (941686800, 950042200) by Kennetcook Cable Vision Limited, Box 27, Kennetcook, Nova Scotia, B0N 1P0: (a) to renew the broadcasting licence of the (radiocommunication) distribution undertaking serving Kennetcook expiring 31 August 1995; and (b) to amend the broadcasting licence by changing the authorized distribution on channel 45 from WJBK-TV Detroit, Michigan to WTOL-TV Toledo, Ohio and on channel 59 from CHAN-TV Vancouver, British Columbia to The Nashville Network (TNN).

Examination of application:
Cable Office, Kennetcook, Hants County




Application number 165

Kentville - New Minas
and surrounding area
Nova Scotia

Application (941214900) by Kings Kable Limited, doing business under the style of Access Cable Television, 190 Victoria Road, P.O. Box 1011, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, B2Y 4A4, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving the above-mentioned localities expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Cable Office, 1001 How Avenue, New Minas




Application number 166

Kingston
and surrounding area
Nova Scotia

Application (941131500) by Bragg Communications Incorporated, P.O. Box 158, Oxford, Nova Scotia, B0M 1P0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Kingston and surrounding areas expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Cable Office, 1247 Victoria Street, Aylesford




Application number 167

Liverpool, Mersey Point, Brooklyn,
Moose Harbour, Milton (area 1);
Port Mouton, White Point Estates, Beech Hill (area 2);
Port Medway and Danesville (area 3)
Nova Scotia

Application (940988900) by Able Cablevision Limited to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving the above-mentioned localities expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Able Cablevision Limited, 212 Main Street, Liverpool




Application number 168

West Green Harbour, East Green Harbour,
Lockeport, Lydgate, Allandale,
Sable River and Western Head
Nova Scotia

Application (940984800) by Seabreeze Cablevision Limited, P.O. Box 1090, Shelburne, Nova Scotia, B0T 1W0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving the above-mentioned localities expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
ARP Pharmacy, 25 Beech Street, Lockeport




Application number 169

Louisbourg
Nova Scotia

Application (941124000) by Seaside Cable T.V. (1984) Limited, P.O. Box 279, Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, B1A 5V4, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Louisbourg expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Peck's Red & White Store, Louisbourg




Application number 170

Main-a-Dieu
and surrounding area
Nova Scotia

Application (941125700) by Seaside Cable T.V. (1984) Limited, P.O. Box 279, Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, B1A 5V4, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Main-a-Dieu and surrounding areas expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Fire Hall, Main-a-Dieu




Application number 171

Maitland and Selma
Nova Scotia

Application (941185100) by Bass River Cable Services Limited, 69 Walker Street, Truro, Nova Scotia, B2N 4A8, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Maitland and Selma expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Frieze & Roy General Store, Maitland




Application number 172

Margaretsville and East Margaretsville
Nova Scotia

Application (941132300) by Bragg Communications Incorporated, P.O. Box 158, Oxford, Nova Scotia, B0M 1P0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Margaretsville and East Margaretsville expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
The Periwinkle (Restaurant), 11 Seaman Street, Margaretsville




Application number 173

Masstown
Nova Scotia

Application (941186900) by Bass River Cable Services Limited, 69 Walker Street, Truro, Nova Scotia, B2N 4A8, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Masstown expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Masstown Market, Masstown




Application number 174

Mavilette
Nova Scotia

Application (941231300) by C.K.O. Cablevision Limited, P.O. Box 6, Mavilette, Digby County, Nova Scotia, B0W 2H0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (radiocommunication) distribution undertaking serving Mavilette expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
C.K.O. Cablevision Limited, Mavilette




Application number 175

Meteghan, Meteghan River, Saulnierville,
Comeauville, Church Point, Belliveau Cove,
Weymouth and Weymouth North
Nova Scotia

Application (941120800) by Joseph Shannon, 11 Paint Street, P.O. Box 790, Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia, B0E 2V0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving the above-mentioned localities expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Cable Office, 1609 Highway #1, Church Point




Application number 176

Middle Stewiacke
Nova Scotia

Application (941187700) by Bass River Cable Services Limited, 69 Walker Street, Truro, Nova Scotia, B2N 4A8, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Middle Stewiacke expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Kendrick's General Store, Highway 289, Middle Stewiacke




Application number 177

Mount Uniacke
Nova Scotia

Application (941189300) by Shaw Cablesystems (N.S.) Limited, #480 - 171 West Esplanade, North Vancouver, British Columbia, V7M 3J9, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Mount Uniacke and the Lakelands area expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Precision Enterprises, 8 Mill Road, Mount Uniacke




Application number 178

New Glasgow
and surrounding area
Nova Scotia

Application (941182800) by Shaw Cablesystems (N.S.) Limited, #480 - 171 West Esplanade, North Vancouver, British Columbia, V7M 3J9, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving New Glasgow and surrounding area expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Cable Office, 134 Provost Street, New Glasgow




Application number 179

New Germany, Simpson's Corner and Hemford
Nova Scotia

Application (941133100) by Bragg Communications Incorporated, P.O. Box 158, Oxford, Nova Scotia, B0M 1P0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving the above-mentioned localities expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Ritcey Electrical Appliances, R.R.#2, New Germany




Application number 180

New Ross and The Forties
Nova Scotia

Application (941151300) by Donald P. Keddy, P.O. Box 201, Tantallon, Halifax County, Nova Scotia, B0J 3J0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving New Ross and The Forties expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Foodland Grocery, New Ross




Application number 181

Nictaux and Nictaux Falls
Nova Scotia

Application (941134900) by Bragg Communications Incorporated, P.O. Box 158, Oxford, Nova Scotia, B0M 1P0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Nictaux and Nictaux Falls expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Cable Office, 1257 Victoria Street, Aylesford




Application number 182

Oxford and Oxford Junction
Nova Scotia

Application (941200800) by Oxford Cable Services Limited, 69 Walker Street, Truro, Nova Scotia, B2N 4A8, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Oxford and Oxford Junction expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Hill Top Variety Store, Water Street, Oxford




Application number 183

Parrsboro
Nova Scotia

Application (941191900) by Eastern Cablevision Limited, 69 Walker Street, Truro, Nova Scotia, B2N 4A8, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Parrsboro expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Town Office, 52 Main Street, Parrsboro




Application number 184

Port Bickerton and Bickerton West
Nova Scotia

Application (941135600) by Bragg Communications Incorporated, P.O. Box 158, Oxford, Nova Scotia, B0M 1P0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Port Bickerton et Bickerton West expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Harv's Red & White, Port Bickerton




Application number 185

Port Hawkesbury, Point Tupper, Port Hastings,
Mulgrave, Troy Trailer Court, Aulds Cove,
Havre Boucher, Cape Jack and Frankville
Nova Scotia

Application (941116600) by Strait of Canso Cable T.V. Limited to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving the above-mentioned localities expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Strait of Canso Cable T.V. Limited, 11 Paint Street, Port Hawkesbury




Application number 186

Prospect, Shad Bay, Bayside, Whites Lake,
Hatchet Lake and Terrence Bay
Nova Scotia

Application (941149700) by Prospect Bay Cable Company Limited, P.O. Box 201, Tantallon, Halifax County, Nova Scotia, B0J 3J0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving the above-mentioned localities expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Holt's Take-Out, 2290 Prospect Road, Hatchet Lake




Application number 187

Pugwash, River John, Tatamagouche, Wallace,
Wentworth and Wentworth Centre
Nova Scotia

Applications (941193500, 941194300, 941195000, 941196800, 941197600) by North Nova Cable Limited, 361 Prince Street, Truro, Nova Scotia, B2N 1E4, to renew the broadcasting licences of the (cable) distribution undertakings serving the above-mentioned localities expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Town Office, Water Street, Pugwash
River John Co-op, River John
Cunninghams Service Station, Highway 6, Tatamagouche
Grants General Store, Wallace
Murphy's Shell, Highway 104, Wentworth




Application number 188

River Hebert, River Hebert East and Joggins
Nova Scotia

Application (941199200) by Scotia Cablevision Limited, 69 Walker Street, Truro, Nova Scotia, B2N 4A8, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving the above-mentioned localities expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Co-Op Store, Main Street, River Hebert




Application number 189

Sandy Cove, Mink Cove, Little River,
Tiddville and East Ferry
Nova Scotia

Application (941211500) by Access Cable Television Limited, 190 Victoria Road, P.O. Box 1011, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, B2Y 4A4, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving the above-mentioned localities expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Little River Trading Company Limited, Little River




Application number 190

Sheet Harbour
Nova Scotia

Application (941150500) by Sheet Harbour Cable Limited, P.O. Box 201, Tantallon, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B0J 3J0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Sheet Harbour expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Lawton's Drugstore, Main Street, Sheet Harbour




Application number 191

Shelburne
and surrounding area
Nova Scotia

Application (940986300) by Seabreeze Cablevision Limited, P.O. Box 1090, Shelburne, Nova Scotia, B0T 1W0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Shelburne and surrounding area expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Cable Office, 25-B King Street, Shelburne




Application number 192

Sherbrooke
Nova Scotia

Application (941136400) by Bragg Communications Incorporated, P.O. Box 158, Oxford, Nova Scotia, B0M 1P0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Sherbrooke expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
A. Anderson & Son, General Store, Main Street, Sherbrooke




Application number 193

Springhill
Nova Scotia

Application (941137200) by Bragg Communications Incorporated, P.O. Box 158, Oxford, Nova Scotia, B0M 1P0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Springhill expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Swan's IGA, Main Street, Springhill




Application number 194

St. Margaret's Bay
and area
Nova Scotia

Application (941148900) by St. Margaret's Bay Cable Company Limited, P.O. Box 201, Tantallon, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B0J 3J0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving St. Margaret's Bay and area expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
St. Margaret's Bay Cable Company Limited
6789 St. Margaret's Bay Road, Head of St. Margaret's Bay, Halifax County




Application number 195

St. Peter's, Jacksonville,
Samsonville (Richmond County),
Rockdale and River Bourgeois
Nova Scotia

Application (941127300) by St. Peter's Cablevision Limited, P.O. Box 279, Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, B1A 5V4, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving the above-mentioned localities expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Morrison's Hardware, St. Peter's




Application number 196

Thomasville, Port la Tour,
Baccaro, Clyde River, Ingomar,
North East Harbour, North West Harbour
and surrounding areas
Nova Scotia

Application (940983000) by Seabreeze Cablevision Limited, P.O. Box 1090, Shelburne, Nova Scotia, B0T 1W0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving the above-mentioned localities expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Cable Office, 3462 Highway 3, Barrington Passage




Application number 197

Tidnish, Tidnish Bridge and Jacksons Point
Nova Scotia

Application (941138000) by Bragg Communications Incorporated, P.O. Box 158, Oxford, Nova Scotia, B0M 1P0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving the above-mentioned localities expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Riverside Restaurant, Tidnish Bridge




Application number 198

Tiverton
Nova Scotia

Application (941209900) by Access Cable Television Limited, 190 Victoria Road, P.O. Box 1011, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, B2Y 4A4, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Tiverton expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Gorham Elliot Company Limited, Tiverton




Application number 199

Tracadie
and surrounding area
Nova Scotia

Application (940888100) by Rural STV 1 Limited, P.O. Box 1544, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, B2G 2L8, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (radiocommunication) distribution undertaking serving Tracadie and surrounding areas expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Afton Variety Store, Antigonish




Application number 200

Tracadie
Nova Scotia

Application (940889900) by Rural STV 1 Limited, P.O. Box 1544, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, B2G 2L8, to renew the broadcasting licence of the community (television) programming undertaking CKPW-TV Tracadie expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Afton Variety Store, Antigonish




Application number 201

Truro
and surrounding area
Nova Scotia

Application (941192700) by Eastern Cablevision Limited to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Truro and surrounding areas expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Eastern Cablevision Limited, 69 Walker Street, Truro




Application number 202

Upper North River
Nova Scotia

Application (941188500) by Bass River Cable Services Limited, 69 Walker Street, Truro, Nova Scotia, B2N 4A8, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Upper North River expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Residence of Robert Thompson, Upper North River




Application number 203

West Dover and Middle Village
Nova Scotia

Application (941152100) by Donald P. Keddy, P.O. Box 201, Tantallon, Halifax County, Nova Scotia, B0J 3J0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving West Dover and Middle Village expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Louise's Take-Out, West Dover




Application number 204

Westport
Nova Scotia

Application (941212300) by Access Cable Television Limited, 190 Victoria Road, P.O. Box 1011, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, B2Y 4A4, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Westport expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
R.E. Robicheau Limited, Westport




Application number 205

Windsor
and surrounding area
Nova Scotia

Application (941157000) by K-Right Communications Limited, P.O. Box 158, Oxford, Nova Scotia, B0M 1P0, to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Windsor and surrounding area expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Cable Office, West Hants Industrial Park, 19 Nelson Street, Windsor




Application number 206

Yarmouth
and surrounding area
Nova Scotia

Application (940992100) by Viking Cable T.V. Limited to renew the broadcasting licence of the (cable) distribution undertaking serving Yarmouth and surrounding area expiring 31 August 1995.

Examination of application:
Viking Cable T.V. Limited, 25 Shaw Avenue, Yarmouth




Source:
CRTC Public Notice 1995-10
    http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/Notices/1995/PB95-10.htm

1995 February

Atlantic View Elementary School Website

Atlantic View Elementary School (P-5), Lawrencetown, Halifax County, was the first elementary school in Nova Scotia to develop its own home page on the World Wide Web; it first went online in February 1995. The 1995 home page can still be seen. Originally, it was located at
    http://fox.nstn.ca/~nbarkhou/avshome.html
but later was archived at
    http://WWW.EDnet.ns.ca/educ/schoolpages/aves/avshome95.html
The Wayback Machine has archived copies of this document:
Atlantic View Elementary School
Home Page 1995 February-June

Archived: 1998 February 9
http://web.archive.org/web/19980209203426/http://www.ednet.ns.ca/educ/schoolpages/aves/avshome95.html
Archived: 1998 December 5
http://web.archive.org/web/19981205175456/http://www.ednet.ns.ca/educ/schoolpages/aves/avshome95.html
Archived: 1999 February 20
http://web.archive.org/web/19990220124448/http://www.ednet.ns.ca/educ/schoolpages/aves/avshome95.html
Archived: 1999 February 24
http://web.archive.org/web/19990224203345/http://fox.nstn.ca/~nbarkhou/avshome.html
Archived: 1999 April 29
http://web.archive.org/web/19990429051137/http://www.ednet.ns.ca/educ/schoolpages/aves/avshome95.html
Archived: 2000 April 12
http://web.archive.org/web/20000412130404/http://www.ednet.ns.ca/educ/schoolpages/aves/avshome95.html
Archived: 2000 June 11
http://web.archive.org/web/20000611135436/http://www.ednet.ns.ca/educ/schoolpages/aves/avshome95.html
Archived: 2001 February 17
http://web.archive.org/web/20010217161827/http://www.aves.ednet.ns.ca/avshome95.html
Archived: 2001 April 6
http://web.archive.org/web/20010406054751/http://www.aves.ednet.ns.ca/avshome95.html
Archived: 2001 June 3
http://web.archive.org/web/20010603230952/http://www.aves.ednet.ns.ca/avshome95.html
Archived: 2001 August 3
http://web.archive.org/web/20010803094903/http://www.aves.ednet.ns.ca/avshome95.html

1995 February 9

Land Rovers Landed at Halifax

The first shipment of Land Rovers ever to enter Canada through a Canadian port were unloaded at the Autoport, Dartmouth, after the 26,600 ton vessel Auto Banner steamed into the port this day after having weathered a violent Atlantic storm. The Korean ship has a carrying capacity of 6,000 vehicles, and was specially designed for international automotive shipments. Until now, all Land Rovers destined for the Canadian market had come in through the Port of Baltimore, Maryland, and then were shipped to Canadian dealers. The new arrangement will substantially shorten delivery times to dealers and customers.
[Excerpted from the Nova Scotia Business Journal, April 1995, distributed as an insert in the Nova Scotia edition of The Globe and Mail, 13 April 1995]

1995 March

Optic-Fibre Cable Across Cabot Strait

Teleglobe Marine Incorporated has signed a $7,900,000 turnkey contract with Maritime Tel & Tel and Newfoundland Telephone for the installation of a second fibre-optic cable across Cabot Strait to link Newfoundland with Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Known as APOCS-2 (Atlantic Provinces Optical Cable System), the cable will provide backup capacity to enable the telephone companies to restore traffic in case of failure of the existing APOCS-1 cable, and will provide increased capacity to handle future growth in traffic. The project is part of a broader plan to implement two coast-to-coast fibre-optic lines in Canada. It will provide Stentor member companies with fully redundant digital transmission capability from the mainland through Cape Breton to Newfoundland. Gerald Foley, president and CEO of Teleglobe Marine, said, "APOCS-2 is Teleglobe's first complete turnkey project. Usually, we play the role of consultants — as in the case of APOCS-1 — or subcontractor in a particular phase of a project. However, as prime contractor for APOCS-2 we're in charge of the whole thing, from cable procurement to laying operations." Teleglobe Marine has awarded the cable supply contract to Rochester Corporation. APOCS-2 will be 135 kilometres long and will contain 12 optic fibres. It is based on a repeaterless technology designed for short undersea links. Laying and seafloor burial operations will be conducted by the CS [Cable Ship] John Cabot which is owned and operated by Teleglobe Marine. The project is planned to be completed in seven months, with the cable to be in operation by December 1995.

Fibre optic technology uses laser light pulses to transmit information. Fibre optic systems carry voice, data and image signals on a special beam of light, carried through hair-thin strands of glass at tremendously high speeds. With a bandwidth that is thousands of times greater than ordinary copper circuits, fibre optics is ideal for transmitting the huge volumes of voice, data and video signals that will travel the information highway.

[Excerpted from the Nova Scotia Business Journal, April 1995, distributed as an insert in the Nova Scotia edition of The Globe and Mail, 13 April 1995]

Reference:
The Beacon Initiative at
    http://www.bell.ca/bell/eng/iway/beacon/default.htm

Stentor & Its Member Companies
The Beacon Initiative

Region: The Beacon Initiative is national in scope.

Funding: The Initiative has an announced value of C$8,500,000,000.

Description: Stentor is an alliance of Canada's full-service telephone companies. Its member companies are BCTel, AGT Limited (Alberta), SaskTel, Manitoba Telephone System, Bell Canada (Ontario and Quebec), NB Tel, Maritime Telephone & Telegraph (Nova Scotia), [Prince Edward] Island Telephone, and Newfoundland Telephone. On April 5th 1994, these nine Stentor companies announced The Beacon Initiative, a joint project to upgrade their local, regional and national networks to provide multi-media services to homes, offices, hospitals and schools across the country. The Initiative is "a promise to upgrade the national network to support multimedia switching capabilities, as well as to connect the local on-ramps of the Information Highway to communities, homes, businesses and institutions with a mixture of fibre-optics and coaxial cable" (Stentor 1995).

Source:
ETHOS: The European Telematics Horizontal Observatory Service
    http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:www.tagish.co.uk/
        ethos/survey/vol3/stentor.htm+%22Beacon+Initiative%22

The Beacon Initiative


    Project Name:   Beacon Initiative

    Lead Organization:   Stentor Alliance

    Category:   Research

    Project URL:   http://www.stentor.ca/

    Geographic Scope:   National

    Project Start Date:   1994

Description
Brief Overall Project Summary:
The members of the Stentor alliance launched the Beacon Initiative in April 1994. Over $8 billion is being invested over the next ten years to upgrade Canada's local and long distance networks and stimulate new business opportunities. This initiative will help build partnerships with government and other industries to ensure all Canadians benefit from the information highway. The Beacon Initiative covers a wide area, ranging from education to health.

Project Objectives: The following are a list of sub-initiatives of Beacon:

The Ubiquity Network — Started in 1992 under ATM service and BC Tel, the Ubiquity Network links most of the major urban areas in BC/ Services are delivered through a combination of fibre-optic, optical interface electronics and ATM switching technology, at speeds 10,000 times faster than with a modem link over ordinary phone line.

Community Fibre System — This Saskatchewan project completed a link between a Regina high school, a local elementary school and 172 homes. It allows students to use the multimedia network to supplement their classroom activities and obtain remote access to video material.

Provincial Backbone Network — Started February 15, 1995, the Provincial Backbone Network came to life under MTS (Manitoba telephone System) and Government of Manitoba. The network, consisting of fibre optics, digital switching, and leading edge ATM technology, is being deployed through most of Manitoba. The network will increase access to government, medical, and distance education services, the Internet, and many future services such as home shopping and tele-banking, as well as entertainment options. Also, the network, in combination with toll free calling areas has allowed MTS to provide local Internet Access to many communities in Manitoba.

VISIT (Visual Interactive Technology) — Established in September, 1993 under Bell Canada, NB Tel and Northern Telecom, VISIT products permit users to share computer screens, transfer files and conduct videoconferences from their computers, at home, in the office or on the road.

Orangeville/River Oaks Project — The River Oaks development company is working with Bell and Shaw Cable to interconnect 70-80 new homes in the Montgomery housing development with the local high school using an Ethernet Local Area Network(LAN). The Orangeville switching centre has full ISDN capability, making Orangeville the first community in Canada to have such capability.

Electronic Kiosk — NBTel, in conjunction with North Communications (Canada) Ltd. and the Province of New Brunswick launched the first ever multi-tenant electronic kiosk service in Canada. The Info/NB kiosks — located in malls, grocery stores and gas stations — are quipped with a full-motion video screen, graphics and English and French audio. Kiosks enable the general public to renew vehicle registrations, purchase hunting and fishing licenses, access government information, review their telephone bills and activate a wide range of calling feature on their telephone lines.

Teledemocracy™ — Teledemocracy, lead by MT&T, enables citizens or members of an organization to vote in an election using the telephone.

Integrated Rural Delivery Network — IRDN, a consortium of Telecommunications In Health and Learning Inc., Newfoundland Telephone, Compusult Ltd., the Telemedicine and Educational Technology Resources Agency, and the Enterprise Network Inc., is a field technology trial to provide solutions customized to rural clients' needs for integration of varied network models.

Multimedia Trials — TELUS Corporation in Alberta plans to offer broadband services to selected homes in Edmonton and Calgary through a multimedia trial scheduled to start in mid-to-late 1997. Construction of the fibre-optic network needed to carry the services begins in the fall of 1996. Television, movies, home security, video games and Internet access that is hundreds of times faster than dial-up modems are among the services TELUS Multimedia plans to provide through the $60 million trial. More than 3,400 households in total will be given the option to participate in the trial.

Broadcasting — Bell Canada is taking an important first step towards gaining valuable experience on how to offer packages of communications services that include cable TV, telephony and video-on-demand such as movies and educational services. Bell Canada plans to conduct two trials in selected markets in Repentigny, Quebec and London, Ontario pending regulatory approval. These trials are essential in order to allow Bell to embark on the learning curve and find out more about the ways in which we can best address the needs of the broadcasting industry and respond to our customers' wish for choice and flexibility.

ADSL — On September 16, 1996, Bell Canada began conducting customer technology trials of a new high speed access for Internet and telework applications. The trials are in Kanata, Ontario and St-Bruno, Quebec and are aimed at residential customers, small businesses and individuals who work at home. Trial participants are downloading information at speeds more than 100 times faster than a standard modem (14.4 kilobits per second) using technology called Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL). ADSL converts existing copper twisted-pair telephone lines into access paths which provide 1.5 megabits per second bandwidth in the downstream direction, and 64 kilobits per second in the upstream direction, all over existing telephone lines.

VideoActive — NBTel has created a revolutionary new high speed or "broadband" network, to give customers a far broader range of electronic services from basic audio all the way to full motion video. VideoActive is a natural evolution of NBTel's fully digital and fiber-optic network. It will potentially allow customers to order movies, conduct commerce transactions, and use interactive video-telephone services.

Source:
The Industry Canada website at
    http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/SSG/in02268e.html

Reference:
The Canadian Journal of Communications,Volume 20, Number 3, 1995
The Benefits of More Choice in Distribution Channels for Cultural Programming by Elisabeth M. Ostiguy, Stentor Telecom Policy Inc.
    http://www.cjc-online.ca/BackIssues/20.3/ostiguy.html

A quote from the Bell website

Tue, 3 Oct 1995 17:09:22 GMT-0400


"Now that the Beacon Initiative has made a national information highway for Canada a reality, our membership in CANARIE has taken on a new significance. CANARIE provides the means by which Bell can test the Technologies involved in such a complex undertaking. CANARIE currently operates the largest and most complex Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) networks in the world. ATM is a switching technology that allows for the high-speed movement of voice, data and video information overa common data communications network. This network is a testing facility in which Bell, as well as other industry participants, can explore information technologies and applications, and test the limits in network engineering."
Source:
The Bell Canada website at
    http://www.bell.ca/bell/eng/iway/beacon/bican.htm

Telephone companies complete Canada's
second cross-country fibre-optic network

3 July 1996


British Columbia Premier Glen Clark, Newfoundland Premier Brian Tobin and Industry Canada Minister John Manley participated in a national video conference today to celebrate the completion of Canada's second coast-to-coast fibre-optic network. The network is the longest in the world, spanning more than 7,000 kilometres from the east coast of Newfoundland to the west coast of British Columbia. It was built by BC TEL, NewTel and other members of the Stentor alliance of telecommunication companies [including MT&T] between 1992 and 1996. The technology, developed by Nortel, enables vast amounts of information to be transmitted very quickly on one optical fibre. For example, a 32-volume encyclopedia can be transmitted from St. John's to Victoria in one-tenth of a second. "This network provides our customers, including Teleglobe, more capacity and reliability than ever before," said Dale Reid, BC TEL's implementation planning manager. "Our two fibre-optic networks are linked at various points across the country. Therefore, if there is any failure with the first network, we can complete calls on the second network within a fraction of a second." Premier Clark applauded the achievement: "This initiative will bring the coasts of our country closer together and is a real expression of Canadian unity. We are 7,000 kilometres away from St. John's but meeting today face to face." Minister Manley hailed the completion of these dual networks, representing an investment of about $1,000,000,000 by the Stentor companies. "Canadians must have access to the latest technology if we are to compete in a global economy," he said. "And I am especially pleased to see the extension of these enabling technologies to rural Canada." Premier Tobin said these networks are "critical to maintaining a leadership position in the application of telecommunications technologies by Canadians. Today's event bodes well for Newfoundland's future."
Source:
BCTel website at
    http://www.bctel.com/archive/news/96jul3telephone.html

Beacon Not Completed

30 September 1999


§20.   Bell noted that the Beacon Initiative was never implemented...
Source:
CRTC Telecom Order 99-940
    http://www.crtc.gc.ca/ENG/TELECOM/ORDER/1999/O99940_0.txt

1995 March 10

Highway Salt Policy

[Two-column display advertisement, by the Department of Transportation and Communications, Honourable Richie Mann, Minister, in The Chronicle-Herald, 10 March 1995.]

Our single greatest priority in winter operations is highway safety. Salt is the most effective and affordable de-icer and in Nova Scotia we use approximately 240,000 tonnes of road salt each winter to keep our highways safe. But each year, the province spends $350,000 replacing wells that have been ruined by road salt. To help avoid the inconvenience of interrupted water service, and to protect the environment, the department has stopped using salt in areas where ground surface water supplies may be damaged by road salt.

Therefore... Salt/sand mixtures are used on gravel roads and certain sections of paved roads near wells or ground water supplies where salt has been discontinued to protect water supplies. In areas that are especially sensitive, sand alone is used. And, salt/sand mixtures are less likely to corrode bridges and your vehicle.

Salting — Did you know? Sanding — Did you know? Call 1-800-307-SNOW. In Metro call 424-3933. Road conditions are updated three times a day, and more often during storms. Before you leave, check highway conditions.

1995 March 13

Most Software Needs At Least a 386 Computer

When buying software, check whether your computer is able to run the program. Most programs need a minimum of a 386 with two megabytes of RAM and between two and six megabytes of free hard disk space...
[The Halifax Chronicle-Herald, 13 March 1995]

1995 March 14

Opportunity Knocking in Rapid Growth of Internet

Curious, competitive, perhaps lured by the hype surrounding the Internet, a growing number of Nova Scotia companies are launching into cyberspace. Doing business on the global computer network can range from communicating by e-mail to having a full-fledged World Wide Web site that gives information on your company.

In metro Halifax, at least one law firm and one chartered accounting firm have Web sites. Real estate companies are starting to list their e-mail addresses. And a handful of local and not-so-local organizations have set up shop in NSTN's Cybermall. You can even choose tickets for Symphony Nova Scotia concerts.

NSTN (Nova Scotia Technology Network Incorporated), which pioneered Internet access in the province, says two to three companies ask every week about Web sites. An estimated 60 per cent of the company's 4,000 dial-up customers use the Net for commerce. Another 80 NSTN clients have "dedicated" hookups capable of hosting a Web site.

They may be tempted by stories like that of Roswell James of Halifax, who has built a thriving business selling computer books through the Net. In his first hour on-line about a year ago, he had 500 inquiries.

The Web's power as an advertising vehicle caught Cape Bretoner Owen Fitzgerald by surprise. Since putting up a "homepage" on the Web, in early February 1995, to promote his new Fortress Louisbourg CD-ROM product, his site has recorded about 100 accesses a day from a number of countries. He's made about two sales daily.

Dartmouth businessman Ed Cayer, of the International Marine Biodiversity Development Corporation, says the tool has become invaluable. "I can't tell you how much I use it and how much I nag other people about not being on it," he says. Cayer prefers e-mail to the telephone or fax because people can access fairly detailed messages when they want them. As well, he's on mailing lists with people in similar fields, and finds that helpful.

At DDA Computer Consultants in Halifax, the two partners, two staff members, and various sub-contractors started using the Net in 1993 to communicate with each other. All work in their homes and found the Internet was great for sending memos through e-mail. Since then, they've used the Internet to solve a technical problem during the development of software for MT&T. They sent out a query and, within 24 hours, received eight answers from around the world. "We're getting to the point where we're almost starting to rely on the Internet as an integral part of our job," says partner Pat d'Entremont.

Yet there are some problems for companies seeking to sell their wares over the Internet. NSTN president Michael Martineau says companies hoping to get rich now "are gonna find a lot of tire-kickers." So far it's mainly a promotional tool, but Martineau predicts a huge interest in home shopping will evolve onto the computer.

Yet the advent of the Web has opened doors for a bigger corporate presence on-line. Sweeney and Carter, a seven-person chartered accounting firm in Dartmouth, has a Web site that gives a company profile and financial information to comsumers. "Right now the opportunities for business and commerce on the Internet are just beginning, and nobody knows where it's going to go. However, we felt it was good to get on there as quickly as possible," says partner Miles Sweeney.

Sergiu Sanielevici, manager of technology at PixelMotion, a Halifax company specializing in visual communications, says user response can be tracked and "ads" redesigned as needed. Businesses are stampeding to the Web, he says. Companies that offer convenience to consumers seem to be the early winners, such as florists, videos, tourism services, and computer software. Federal Express's Web site allows clients to track where their packages are.

[Excerpted from the Halifax Chronicle-Herald, 14 March 1995]

NSTN CyberMall

(1995) NSTN Inc., Canada's Internet Navigator, put in place one of North America's first on-line, Internet accessible shopping centres. The NSTN CyberMall (an NSTN trademark) started as a simple gopher-based prototype, with Roswell Computer Books of Halifax as its first commercial client. The CyberMall Enhancement Project is transforming the prototype into a long-term, revenue producing service. Key elements of the project include migration to WWW, development of mall navigation tools, redesign of the CyberMall "look and feel" and development of a new process to load merchant information into the CyberMall Server.
Michael Martineau, NSTN
phone: (902) 481-6786
email: martinea@hawk.nstn.ns.ca

Source:
CANARIE Inc.: The Canadian Network for the Advancement of Research, Industry and Education
Google's cache (23 June 2000) of http://www.canarie.ca/eng/appdev/onps/projects.html
    http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:www.canarie.ca/eng/
        appdev/onps/projects.html+%22Michael+Martineau%22&hl=en



Mr. Martineau is (1995) responsible for the professional services group at the I-Star Internet Inc. Mr. Martineau served as Vice President, Technology & Operations at NSTN from 1989 to 1995. Mr. Martineau holds a degree in Electrical Engineering and has nearly 15 years experience in real-time software engineering, data communications and computer networking. He serves on the Project Review Board at CANARIE and is a director of CA*net.
Source:
Personalities in Canadian Technology, Evert Communications Ltd, Ottawa
    http://www.evert.com/persons/people/martinea.htm

1995 March 27, Monday

National Railway Strike Ends

The federal government passed legislation yesterday sending Canada's railway workers back to their jobs. Company and union officials expected that some trains would run Monday, today, and that full service would be restored by Tuesday morning. The back-to-work law, passed after a weekend sitting of the House of Commons and the Senate, ordered all 30,000 union members to be available for work by 5:30am EST this day, 12 hours after it received royal assent, regardless of whether they were locked out or were on strike. Restarting a railway after a week-long shutdown is not a simple chore. Track repair crews must, by law, inspect every kilometre of track to make sure there were no washouts or landslides and no serious frost heaving, to check all crossing warning signals, and perform other essential inspection and maintenance tasks that must be completed before trains could be operated. The first rotating strike began on 8 March by CP Rail track maintenance workers. CP Rail continued to operate, but when CN Rail and VIA Rail employees walked out on 18 March, the railways shut down and the government decided to intervene.

The Port of Halifax emerged from the railway shutdown relatively unscathed financially. "We ended up with the port overall having a gain of $2,550,000," said Claude Ball, senior vice-president of the Halifax Port Corporation. Halifax lost container business from two ships diverted to other ports, but "we worked seven ships that were diverted here from Montreal just before the railway strike hit us. The net result is positive," Mr. Ball said. "We were fortunate. Had the rail strike dragged on a few more days it would have been a different story."

While CN's container shipments were back to normal by Tuesday, passenger services in the Maritimes were restarted more slowly. The Ocean, VIA's only passenger train in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, resumed normal operation on Wednesday. Passengers who were booked on trains which were cancelled during the strike were given refunds, or exchanged their tickets for later dates, or were offered bus or air seats to their destination with no extra money being paid by the customer. "To stimulate traffic and encourage people to come back and try the train again we are immediately launching a welcome-back discount — up to 50% off on all seats, including sleeping car and first-class accommodations," Malcolm Andrews, a communications officer with VIA Rail in Montreal, said on Monday. No advance booking was required, but tickets had to be purchased by 23 April at the latest for travel on or before 31 May, Mr. Andrews said.

Excerpted from The Globe and Mail, 27 March 1995
and the Halifax Chronicle-Herald, 28 March 1995

1995 April

Cost of Technology

K-PC Ltee, 2445 Agricola Street, Halifax, advertised several computer "specials":

Computer Specials
April 1995
Agricola Street, Halifax

386 SX 40 $1610
386 DX 40, 128k $1660
486 DX 2-66 VL256k $1990
486 DX 4-100 $2090
Pentium 90, PCI $2895


The above includes 4 megabytes of RAM memory, 1.44 megabyte 3.5-inch 8.4 cm floppy disc drive, 420 megabyte IDE hard drive, 14-inch 35 cm SVGA colour .28 monitor, mouse, keyboard, and MS-DOS 6.2 with Windows 3.1. Two year warranty. [K-PC Ltee, 2445 Agricola Street, Halifax, in an advertisement in the Nova Scotia Business Journal, April 1995, distributed as an insert in the Nova Scotia edition of The Globe and Mail, 13 April 1995]

1995 April 1

Road Maintenance and Policing Costs
Transferred to Rural Municipalities,
Not!

On this day, a "service exchange" went into effect in Nova Scotia, which included the provincial government taking over costs for such things as social services, formerly carried by municipalities. Municipalities would accept the cost of providing roads and police protection in rural areas, formerly carried by the province. Etcetera. At least, that was the original plan. But it turned out that this was a very complex matter, with extensive ramifications and implications for the municipal units, and widely differing impacts on different municipalities. In particular, there was a big difference between the rural municipalities and the towns. For many years previously, municipal units which were legally incorporated as towns (Town of Mahone Bay, Town of Stellarton, Town of Port Hawkesbury, Town of Amherst, Town of Yarmouth, Town of Hantsport, for example) had been paying for construction and maintenance of streets and roads (paving, snow plowing, fixing pot holes, painting center lines and crosswalks...), and police services, within their boundaries, in contrast to the rural municipalities (Municipality of Antigonish County, Municipality of Inverness County, Municipality of the District of Chester, Municipality of the District of Barrington, for example) whose roads and police were paid by the provincial government. This "service swap" was intended to accomplish several objectives, but the details became a rich source of discontent and bickering among various government bodies both at the provincial and the municipal levels. On 10 March 1995, The Chronicle-Herald reported that the Windsor Town Council was not happy with the way the exchange was unfolding. "The average tax burden for city and town residents was $886 per year, while the average in rural municipalities was only $398," said Windsor Mayor Maxine Whynot. "Municipal exchange of services was to have corrected this unjust situation," said Mrs. Whynot. "That just isn't happening right now. This is just not working out the way it's supposed to."



Department of Transportation and Communications,
Press Release, 31 January 1995
Road Transfer Date Postponed One Year


Following a review of responses from municipalities, the province has determined that there will be no transfer of ownership of local roads to municipalities before April, 1996, Transportation and Communications Minister Richie Mann has informed provincial wardens and mayors. Although the province will continue to own and maintain the roads, municipalities will still be required to pay the $3500 per kilometre fee to the province on those roads selected for transfer.

"As I have said throughout this discussion, we'll be as flexible as we can be to ensure that any exchange is fair to all parties. Municipalities expressed quite natural concern about their ability to actually maintain the roads, and several suggested the alternative of having the province retain both ownership and maintenance responsibility if the municipalities pay the per kilometre maintenance cost," he said. He said he and the Minister of Municipal Affairs "are quite happy to agree with that suggestion, as it allows us to meet the objectives of the provincial municipal service exchange — and ensure that roads continue to be maintained throughout the province."

While some municipalities would prefer to assume full ownership and responsibility for the roads, he said many feel that the cost of acquiring the equipment and staff resources to maintain local roads would be too burdensome. The April 1, 1996 exchange date provides an additional year for municipalities to assess their ability to accept the roads, or to continue to pay the per kilometre fee. "If the per kilometre payment is the option selected by a municipality, the province will retain full ownership and control of the roads. If a municipality chooses to accept the road transfer, then they will also become fully responsible for delivering the maintenance service," Mr. Mann said. In a letter to all wardens and mayors, Mr. Mann emphasized that other aspects of the service exchange would remain the same. These include: any new roads approved by a municipality under the Planning Act will be the full responsibility of the municipality, responsibility for all existing and new sidewalks will rest with the municipality, and all cost-sharing on eligible roads will be on a 50-50 basis.

1995 April 7, Friday

Have You Heard of the Internet?

Surf's up: You must have heard about it — the Internet, that is — but how much do you really know about it. If, like many people (we suspect), you are right out to lunch on this one, stop fretting. Starting today, and continuing for as many Fridays as are necessary, The Middle Kingdom, page A11, will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about the Internet — plus how to use the thing.
[Front page, The Globe and Mail, 7 April 1995]


1995 April 25

MT&T Losing Long-Distance Business

Long-distance competition took a bite out of Maritime Tel & Tel profits in 1994, reducing the company's net income to $48,200,000 from $59,800,000 in 1993. At the company's annual meeting held this day in Halifax, with 458 shareholders present, outgoing President Ivan Duvar told the gathering that "We've lost 10% market share (of long-distance) in the last two years. We now have 90% market share. To maintain that market share, we have a very tough battle. It's been a price battle. In long-distance, our prices are down 35% over the last three years." Mr. Duvar, MT&T's CEO for ten years, next month (May) was to hand over leadership of the company to Colin Latham, now marketing vice-president. Mr. Duvar was to remain chairman of the Board of Directors. Mr. Latham said MT&T expects its long-distance market share will continue to decrease, but declined to speculate by how much. Long-distance revenues for the first quarter of 1995 were $58,500,000, compared to $68,100,000 in 1994's first quarter. The reduced earnings have led the company to apply to the CRTC for rate increases in its local telephone business. The company wants to raise residential rates by $2.95 per month, with business rates rising by $5 to $9 per month for single-line service. If the CRTC approves the application, this proposal will generate an additional $16,000,000 in 1995 and $24,000,000 in 1996. MT&T's cellular services was an important revenue source; the eight-year-old mobility business recorded its first profit in 1994, with sales of $35,000,000, up from $26,000,000 in 1993.
[The Halifax Chronicle-Herald, 26 April 1995]

1995 June

Canadian Media and the Internet: 1995 Survey

This document contains the results of the first annual survey of Canadian media Internet use as conducted in June 1995. The survey is an attempt to determine the extent to which journalists use the Internet; where the Net is taking them; and when they will be entering the on-ramp... Respondents are clearly divided about whether they are acting quickly enough to embrace the Internet. A large majority are fence-sitters – devoid of any strong opinions regarding the impact that the Internet will have on their profession... A total of 38 per cent of respondents said that they or their newsrooms are hooked up to the Internet. An even larger number (43 per cent) have e-mail... The demand for information provided on company bulletin boards and home pages appears to be growing, but the Internet is still not a common means of searching for information. Thirty-two per cent of respondents have never used a company home page to access corporate data... The media's future on the Internet is fast approaching. Fifty-six per cent of respondents plan to go on-line within the next 12 months... broadcast organizations say they expect to receive news releases in the next five years via Internet: 18 per cent... Information overload is a problem...
Source: Media and the Internet: 1995 Survey archived in the Wayback Machine

1995 June 17

Air Atlantic Increases Service to
341 Departures a Week from Halifax

Regional carrier Air Nova moved quickly following the Open Skies agreement to strengthen its position on trans-border traffic by adding a third daily flight to New York (Newark), starting 17 June 1995. This flight was planned to continue through the summer, until 10 September. Air Nova began flying on this route four years ago; after nearly three years of losses, the route has begun to show a profit. Highlights of Air Nova's summer schedule include daily non-stop return service to Iles-de-la-Madeleine in summer peak times; five weekday return flights between Halifax and Boston; new early morning and afternoon one-stop arrivals in Halifax from Fredericton; and increased service to Quebec City, Deer Lake, Gander, and Goose Bay. The airline will add 33 pilots and 16 flight attendants to handle 341 departures a week from Halifax.

Other airline companies also responded to the recent Open Skies agreement by adding flights to their schedules. In mid-June, American Eagle, the regional carrier associated with American Airlines, introduced a twice-daily, seven days a week connection between Halifax and New York's Kennedy Airport. On 15 May, Northwest Airlines began scheduled non-stop service between Halifax and Detroit. Delta was operating flights from Halifax to Boston by way of Moncton.
[The Halifax Chronicle-Herald, 8 March, 26 & 29 April 1995]

1995 July 7

Renewal of Licence for Atlantic Satellite Network
1 September 1995 to 31 August 2000

CRTC Decision 95-417, 7 July 1995
CHUM Limited, Halifax, Nova Scotia


Following a Public Hearing in Halifax beginning on 4 April 1995, the Commission renews the broadcasting licence for the satellite-to-cable programming undertaking known as Atlantic Satellite Network (ASN), from 1 September 1995 to 31 August 2000, subject to the conditions in effect under the current licence, as well as to those conditions specified in the appendix to this decision and in the licence to be issued.

This term will enable the Commission to consider the renewal of this licence at the same time as that of CIHF-TV Halifax and its transmitters. The Commission considers that it would be appropriate to do so, given the issues discussed later in this decision regarding the solicitation of local advertising in Halifax, and the implications of these issues for both ASN and CIHF-TV (MITV).

ASN is wholly-owned by CHUM Limited which is ultimately controlled by Mr. Allan Waters of Toronto. In the Atlantic region, CHUM Limited is also the licensee of Halifax radio stations CJCH and CIOO-FM and The Atlantic Television System (ATV), consisting of CJCH-TV Halifax, CJCB-TV Sydney, CKCW-TV Moncton and CKLT-TV Saint John. Originally licensed in CRTC Decision 81-253 dated 14 April 1981, ASN is an advertiser-supported satellite-to-cable service authorized for the transmission and distribution of regional television programming designed to provide an alternative programming choice to viewers. ASN provides a blend of news, educational and general entertainment programming to subscribers of various cable systems.

Failure to comply with licence condition

At the time of ASN's licence renewal in 1990, CHUM Limited made a commitment to broadcast an average of 9½ hours per week of original news production on ASN, not including news updates. Monitoring of ASN during the current licence term revealed a failure by the licensee to comply with this commitment. At the hearing, the applicant admitted that it broadcast approximately eight hours of original news production weekly, not including updates, during the 1992-93 and 1993-94 broadcast years.

The Commission acknowledges the very significant increase in non-news original programming on ASN's service chiefly contained in the programs "Breakfast Television" and "Lunch Television", and is pleased to affirm that this expansion in the amount of original programming has greatly enlarged ASN's capacity to reflect its "regional community". The Commission also notes the licensee's commitment, revised at the hearing, of 8½ hours per week of original news, including news updates, in the new licence term, and expects the licensee to adhere to this commitment throughout the licence term. The Commission reiterates the importance of compliance with all commitments made by a licensee.

Solicitation of local advertising

As a part of this application, the licensee requested the deletion of the condition of licence prohibiting ASN from soliciting local advertising in the Halifax/Dartmouth area.

An intervention expressing opposition to this aspect of the application was submitted by CanWest Maritime Television Inc. (CanWest Maritime), licensee of CIHF-TV Halifax and its transmitters, collectively known as MITV. CanWest Maritime objected to the deletion of the ASN condition of licence, based on the argument that the Halifax economy is not strong enough to withstand the entry of another local broadcaster without this causing financial harm to existing undertakings. The intervener also expressed concern that CHUM Limited's projected revenues for local sales are unrealistically low, and that revenues higher than those forecast would likely come at the expense of MITV. CanWest Maritime also argued that CHUM Limited owns AM, FM and TV stations in the Halifax market, and thus already enjoys a very strong position in the market; the intervener added that ASN's mandate is to provide a regional programming service, and not to function as a local broadcaster.

In response to the concerns raised in the CanWest Maritime intervention, CHUM Limited stated that it does not expect ASN to become an active player in the local Halifax/ Dartmouth market, since it only wishes to provide access to advertisers who wish to market their services on the full ASN network. CHUM Limited argued further that a very small number of Halifax-based advertisers, namely those that derive substantial business from the Atlantic region outside of Halifax, would be likely to advertise on ASN. It added that the revenues projected by CanWest Maritime for such activity are greatly exaggerated.

The Commission has carefully considered the views of both the licensee and the intervener. It notes that, at a previous hearing, the licensee projected revenues ten times higher than those projected currently, and remains concerned that any incremental revenues that would accrue to ASN as a result of approval of this request would be at the expense of existing local broadcasters. In view of the uncertain economic situation in the region, and the negative financial position of other local undertakings, the Commission is not prepared, at this time, to delete the condition of ASN's licence related to local solicitation. It therefore remains a condition of licence that the licensee not solicit local advertising in the Halifax/Dartmouth area.

Simultaneous substitution

As a further part of this application, the licensee requested that cable licensees that distribute ASN be authorized to substitute ASN programming in place of identical programming broadcast simultaneously by non-Canadian sources.

Simultaneous signal substitution is a measure designed to ensure that a priority television service, together with the advertising it carries, is delivered to Canadian viewers. Since ASN does not qualify as a "television station" for the purposes of section 20 of the Cable Television Regulations, 1986, simultaneous substitution is not practised by the cable undertakings that distribute ASN. The licensee argued, however, that allowing cable licensees to do so by condition of licence would ensure that viewers are not lost to foreign signals in general, and that tuning to ASN in particular would increase.

The Commission is not convinced that the loss of audience during programs that might otherwise be subject to substitution adversely affects the revenues of ASN to any significant degree. Accordingly, the Commission is not prepared to authorize cable undertakings to perform simultaneous substitution for ASN programming at this time. The Commission does note, however, that the issue of simultaneous signal substitution was discussed in its report to the Minister of Industry, titled "Competition and Culture on Canada's Information Highway: Managing the Realities of Transition", dated 19 May 1995. In that report, the Commission stated:

The Commission recognizes the importance to all Canadian licensees of protecting the program rights that they have purchased. Accordingly, the Commission intends to conduct a public proceeding with a view to examining the feasibility of implementing simultaneous substitution for all distributors, and exploring options with respect to advanced, or non-simultaneous, substitution.

Canadian programming expenditures

In CRTC Public Notice 1989-27 dated 6 April 1989, the Commission stated that licensees of private, English-language television programming undertakings earning ten million dollars or less in total advertising revenues and network payments annually would be expected to adhere to their projected first-year expenditures for Canadian programming, at a minimum, and adjust such expenditures in subsequent years in accordance with the prescribed formula linked to the station's advertising revenues.

As stated in CRTC Public Notice 1995-48 dated 24 March 1995, the Commission shall continue to expect such licensees to expend on Canadian programming in accordance with the formula. The Commission will continue to apply this expectation in a seamless fashion moving from the current term into the new licence term. All policies pertaining to the formula as set out in CRTC Public Notices 1989-27, 1992-28, 1992-89, 1993-93 and 1993-174 will continue to apply, with the clarification that licensees will not be permitted to credit any overexpenditure made in the previous licence term towards Canadian programming expenditures in any year or years within the upcoming licence term.

Accordingly, inasmuch as the licensee's advertising revenues and network payments in the broadcast year ending 31 August 1994 were less than ten million dollars, the Commission expects the licensee to expend, in the first year of the new licence term, at a minimum, the amount it was expected to expend in the 1994-1995 broadcast year, before consideration of any overexpenditures or underexpenditures from prior years, increased or decreased in accordance with the prescribed formula linked to the station's advertising revenues and network payments. In each subsequent year of the licence term, the Commission expects the licensee's Canadian programming expenditures to be adjusted in accordance with the Commission's prescribed formula.

The Commission notes that the licensee has elected to average the percentage increase in total advertising revenues and network payments over a period of three years. In accordance with the provisions contained in CRTC Public Notice 1995-48, the Commission expects the licensee to adhere to this same three-year averaging mechanism throughout the new licence term.

Program development

The Commission reminds the licensee of the Commission's expectations set out in CRTC Public Notice 1989-27 dated 6 April 1989 and entitled Overview: Local Television for the 1990's, regarding the important role that local television stations play in program development.

Service to the deaf and hard of hearing

The Commission reiterates the importance it attaches to the provision of captioned programs to serve deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers.

Consistent with its policy approach for closed captioning announced in CRTC Public Notice 1995-48 dated 24 March 1995, the Commission expects the licensee to caption all of the news programming produced by the licensee, including live segments, using real time captioning or another method capable of captioning live programming, by the end of the new licence term. In addition, the Commission expects the licensee to close caption 70% of its programming during the broadcast day by the end of the licence term.

The Vertical Blanking Interval

The Commission authorizes the licensee to continue to make use of the Vertical Blanking Interval. The Commission expects the licensee to adhere to the guidelines set out in Appendix A to CRTC Public Notice 1989-23 dated 23 March 1989 entitled "Services using the Vertical Blanking Interval (Television) or Subsidiary Communications Multiplex Operation (FM)".

Employment equity

In CRTC Public Notice 1992-59 dated 1 September 1992 and entitled "Implementation of an Employment Equity Policy", the Commission announced that the employment equity practices of broadcasters would be subject to examination by the Commission. In this regard, the Commission encourages the licensee to consider employment equity issues in its hiring practices and in all other aspects of its management of human resources.

In addition to the appearing intervention discussed above, the Commission acknowledges and has considered all of the interventions submitted with respect to this application.

Allan J. Darling
Secretary General

APPENDIX

Conditions of licence for Atlantic Satellite Network (ASN), the regional television programming service:

1.   The licensee shall adhere to the Television Regulations, 1987.

2.   The licensee shall not solicit local advertising in the Halifax-Dartmouth area.

3.   The licensee shall adhere to the provisions of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters' (CAB) "Broadcast Code for Advertising to Children", as amended from time to time and accepted by the Commission.

4.   The licensee shall adhere to the guidelines on gender portrayal set out in the CAB's "Sex-Role Portrayal Code for Television and Radio Programming", as amended from time to time and accepted by the Commission. The application of the foregoing condition of licence will be suspended as long as the licensee remains a member in good standing of the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC).

5.   The licensee shall adhere to the guidelines on the depiction of violence in television programming set out in the CAB's "Voluntary Code Regarding Violence in Television Programming", as amended from time to time and accepted by the Commission. The application of the foregoing condition of licence will be suspended as long as the licensee remains a member in good standing of the CBSC.

6.   In addition to the 12 minutes of advertising material permitted by subsection 11(1) of the Television Broadcasting Regulations, 1987, the licensee may broadcast infomercials as defined in CRTC Public Notice 1994-139 and in accordance with the criteria contained in that public notice, as amended. For clarification purposes, criterion 7 described in CRTC Public Notice 1994-139 applies to commercial messages exceeding 2 minutes in length.

Source:
CRTC website at
    http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/bcasting/decision/1995/d95417.txt


1995 July 14

Able Cablevision Limited
Licence Renewal

CRTC Decision 95-455
14 July 1995

Liverpool, Mersey Point, Brooklyn, Moose Harbour,
Milton (Area 1); Port Mouton, White Point Estates,
Beech Hill (Area 2); Port Medway and Danesville (Area 3), Nova Scotia


Pursuant to Public Notice CRTC 1995-10 dated 20 January 1995, the Commission renews the Class 2 licence held by Able Cablevision Limited, for the cable distribution undertaking serving the communities noted above, from 1 September 1995 to 31 August 2002.

In addition to the services required or authorized to be distributed pursuant to the applicable sections of the regulations, the licensee — Able Cablevision Limited — is authorized, by condition of licence, to continue to distribute, at its option, WXYZ-TV (ABC), WTVS (PBS), and WDIV NBC Detroit, Michigan, received via satellite from CANCOM, as part of the basic service.

The licensee is also authorized, by condition of licence, to distribute the programming service of the Atlantic Satellite Network (ASN), received via satellite, provided that it is distributed on an unrestricted channel of the basic service. The Commission notes the licensee's commitment to move local stations CBHL-FM and CKBW-FM-1 Liverpool to unrestricted channels of the basic service.

In its renewal application, the licensee had proposed to continue to distribute WJBK-TV Detroit, Michigan, received via satellite from CANCOM. This station, however, is no longer a CBS affiliate, and is no longer distributed by CANCOM. Instead, CANCOM has been authorized to carry WTOL-TV (CBS) Toledo, Ohio (Decision CRTC 94-897 dated 28 November 1994). In Public Notice CRTC 1995-33 dated 1 March 1995, the Commission announced an application by CANCOM, acting as an agent for the licensee, to amend its licence by deleting the condition of licence authorizing the distribution of WJBK-TV, and adding a condition of licence authorizing the distribution of WTOL-TV, received via satellite from CANCOM, as part of the basic service.

In Public Notice CRTC 1992-59 dated 1 September 1992 and entitled "Implementation of an Employment Equity Policy", the Commission announced that the employment equity practices of broadcasters would be subject to examination by the Commission. In this regard, the Commission encourages the licensee to consider employment equity issues in its hiring practices and in all other aspects of its management of human resources.

Source:
CRTC website
    http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/Decisions/1995/DB95-455.htm

1995 August 26

Early ISP Advertisement

An Internet Service Provider in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia, Annapolis Valley: Early ISP ad, 26 August 1995
Early ISP advertisement in the Halifax Chronicle-Herald, 26 August 1995
Internet connections available in the Annapolis Valley - Digby area, Nova Scotia

Original size of ad as printed: 10.6 cm × 17.9 cm


The Wayback Machine has archived copies of:
North Shore Internet Services
New Glasgow, Nova Scotia

Archived: 1996 December 19
http://web.archive.org/web/19961219083531/http://nsis.com/

Archived: 1998 December 02
http://web.archive.org/web/19981202151810/http://nsis.com/index.html

Archived: 1999 April 29
http://web.archive.org/web/19990429123038/http://www.nsis.com/

Archived: 1999 October 12
http://web.archive.org/web/19991012070954/http://nsis.com/

Archived: 2000 May 19
http://web.archive.org/web/20000519233458/http://www.nsis.com/

Archived: 2000 October 22
http://web.archive.org/web/20001022110328/http://www.nsis.com/index.html

Archived: 2001 March 02
http://web.archive.org/web/20010302115433/http://nsis.com/

Archived: 2001 July 20
http://web.archive.org/web/20010720021259/http://nsis.com/

Archived: 2002 May 26
http://web.archive.org/web/20020526151148/http://nsis.com/

Archived: 2002 September 29
http://web.archive.org/web/20020929202353/http://www.nsis.com/


1995 August 31

Personal Computers For Sale

Personal computers for sale in Halifax, 31 August 1995
Advertisement in the Halifax Chronicle-Herald and Mail-Star, 31 August 1995
Personal computers for sale in Halifax

Note the 14.4 (14,400 bits per second) modem at $99.00.
(This was the fastest modem then available to the public.)
The "486 DX2-66" runs at 66 megahertz.
Hard drives: 540 and 420 megabytes.


1995 November 1

Single License Plates Introduced

Effective this day, the Registry of Motor Vehicles began issuing a single licence plate for owners of passenger and light commercial vehicles and heavy commercial vehicles.  Previously, these vehicles had been required to display two plates, front and rear.  From now on, the requirement is that the vehicle registration sticker and the single plate must, at all times, be located on the back of passenger and light commercial vehicles and on the front of heavy commercial vehicles.  Owners of these three types of vehicles who already have two valid license plates may, if they wish, remove the unnecessary plate.  Transportation and Communications Minister Richie Mann said the new single plate policy will save about $160,000 a year.  The cost for vehicle registration will remain the same and the cost of a replacement plate will be $5.00 per plate.  Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Manitoba, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories have similar programs.
[Source: government press release 95110310]
      http://gov.ns.ca/cmns/msrv/viewRel.asp?relID=/cmns/msrv/nr-1995/nr95-11/95110310.htm

1995 November 10

School Bus Speed Limit to be Changed

On this day, Transportation and Communications Minister Richie Mann introduced a bill to amend the Motor Vehicle Act, to change the rules for school buses.  When this amendment goes into effect, the maximum speed of a school bus will not be limited to 75 km/h, but instead will be the posted speed limit.  This is in response to requests from school boards and safety groups, such as the Nova Scotia Safety Council, the Nova Scotia School Boards Association and the Pupil Transportation Advisory Committee.  This amendment will allow school buses travelling on 100 series and other controlled access highways to keep up with traffic flow, thereby reducing the risk of an accident.
[Source: government press release 95111001]
      http://www.gov.ns.ca/cmns/msrv/viewRel.asp?relID=/cmns/msrv/nr-1995/nr95-11/95111001.htm

1995 November 21

Canada's Naval Memorial
Establishes Website

On this day, the Canadian Naval Memorial established its website at http://Fox.nstn.ca:80/~nstn1674/.  In 1998 it was moved to http://learning.ns.sympatico.ca/cnmt/.  In 1999 the website was moved to http://www.hmcssackville-cnmt.ns.ca/.  The Canadian Naval Memorial, located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, is open to the public during the summer and is conveniently located behind the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic on the Halifax Waterfront in the centre of the City.  The only surviving corvette, HMCS Sackville, named after the town of Sackville, New Brunswick, was built in Saint John. She has been carefully restored to her wartime configuration to serve as Canada's Naval Memorial...

1995 November 28

New Internet Service Provider

On this day, the Sympatico Internet service became available for public use, supplied by the Stentor Alliance (Canada's local telecommunications companies and their affiliates) in partnership with MediaLinx Interactive Inc. The Sympatico service is a consumer dial-in service mainly intended for use by people at home and in small businesses, provided by BCTEL Interactive, TELUS, SaskTel, MTS Advanced, Bell Global Solutions, NBTel, MT&T Advanced Communications, IslandTel Advanced Solutions, NewTel and NorthwesTel in their respective territories. MediaLinx Interactive Inc. is an affiliate of Bell Canada, funded by members of the Stentor Alliance of telecommunications companies. MediaLinx develops interactive multimedia products and services, including the Sympatico suite of services, to meet the growing Canadian market for information services. Sympatico™ and Canada411™ are trademarks of MediaLinx Interactive Inc.
[Excerpted from a Press Release]

1995 December 5

19 Kilometres of Newly Twinned Highway 104
Opened to Traffic

An additional 19 kilometres of newly twinned Highway 104 opened to traffic this day in northern Nova Scotia. About three kilometres of new four-lane construction were built to bypass Kemptown in Colchester County, followed by 16 kilometres of new eastbound lanes over Mount Thom to West River Station Road at Salt Springs, Pictou County. Eleven different construction firms were involved in a number of projects with the majority of work carried out in 1994 and 1995. The projects included new four-lane construction for the Kemptown bypass followed by two new eastbound lanes for Highway 104, an overpass structure at Riversdale Road, two bridges over Salmon River, an interchange at East Kemptown and realigning a section of Trunk 4 leading to Highway 104. The speed limit on this new stretch of highway was 100 km/h from the opening until 23 June 1997, when it was raised to 110 km/h. The total cost of $34,600,000 was equally shared by the Nova Scotia and federal governments with funding from the Canada — Nova Scotia Highway Improvement Agreement and the Canada — Nova Scotia Strategic Highway Improvement Agreement. "Nova Scotia now has approximately 110 kilometres of twinned Highway 104," said Transportation and Communications Minister Richie Mann. "That's about 38 per cent of the Trans-Canada from the New Brunswick border to the Canso Causeway. The remaining critical portions, between Alma and Salt Springs, and the Western Alignment between Thompson Station and Masstown, will be completed by 1998."
[Excerpted from government press release 95120503.]

[The highway referred to here as the "Western Alignment between Thompson Station and Masstown" in Cumberland County, later was officially named the Cobequid Pass Highway, which opened for traffic on 15 November 1997.]


1995 December 8

Agreement on DVD Standard Format

Nine of the world's leading consumer electronics companies reached agreement this day, on a common format for digital video disc systems, which are expected to be among the best-selling electronics products of the late 1990s.

The agreement ends months of negotiations over the technical specifications for DVD, which can be used for storing large quantities of digital data, useful for computer applications as well as for consumer electronics such as videos and music. The first systems are expected to go on sale next autumn.

The electronics industry hopes this new product will revitalize a sluggish market and will become part of the buoyant home computing sector. However, until today's agreement, the prospects for DVD were clouded by the threat that Japan's Sony and Philips of the Netherlands, two of the world's largest electronics groups, would trigger a "format war" by introducing a system different from the rest of the industry.

Last summer, Sony and Philips started talks with their rivals, led by Toshiba of Japan, to thrash out a compromise format. The final specification represented a setback for Sony and Philips, which were forced to accept many aspects of the Toshiba camp's technology. They also failed in their strenuous efforts to include the letters CD in the new product's name and thus positioning the new discs within the extended family of compact disc products, a technology originally developed by Sony and Philips.

However, late today Philips said it was relieved that the industry had reached agreement on a standard format. The Dutch company plans to launch its first DVD products, which will be read-only memory drives for computer applications, by the end of 1996. It hopes soon after to introduce the first consumer systems for playing movies.

[Excerpted from The Financial Post, 9 December 1995]

1995 December 15

LaFarge Cement Plant Railway Crossing

Street lighting will be installed next week at the railway crossing at the LaFarge Cement Plant in Brookfield, Colchester County. "Street lighting should improve visibility near the railway crossing and make the area safer for drivers," Transportation and Communications Minister Richie Mann said today. "We are prepared to lead the effort to improve safety at this crossing by ensuring immediate installation of the lights. We will also continue to work with LaFarge Cement Plant and CN Rail to cooperate in this situation," he said. A joint investigation of the railway crossing was carried out by officials of LaFarge Cement Plant, CN Rail and Department of Transportation and Communications following a November accident involving a motor vehicle and a train. Two to four trains a week travel along this railway branch line. The crossing is not equipped with electric warning lights.
[Government press release 95121506, and other sources]

1995 December 19

Nova Scotia Government Website
Has New Entry Page

Website originally online in September 1995


The Nova Scotia government's site on the Internet has been improved, with a new home page, more information available and expanded links to related sites, Supply and Services Minister Gerald O'Malley announced today.

"With the Internet doubling in size every six months, it is important to have a quality site, with good information, useful links, and an attractive home page," Mr. O'Malley said. "We set out this fall to improve our presence on the Internet. The new page went on-line in September, and web site developers in departments throughout government have been adding information since then."

From the Nova Scotia site, web surfers around the world can obtain a wealth of information about the province. "You can visit Keltic Lodge and our other provincial resorts, learn about Nova Scotia weather, read government documents, or find out about doing business in Nova Scotia," the minister said.

There are also links to related sites, such as Symphony Nova Scotia, the City of Halifax, and Nova Scotia-related federal government web sites, including national parks in Nova Scotia.

Many government departments are now represented on the site, and others are coming on as resources allow. "A good web site is never finished, it is always under construction," the minister said. "Web site developers will be adding and updating information for as long as there is a government site. We will never reach the point where we will say it's finished." The government web site was designed and is maintained by the Department of Supply and Services.

Source: government press release, 19 December 1995
    http://www.gov.ns.ca/cmns/msrv/nr-1995/nr95-12/95121903.htm

Reference:
Nova Scotia Government website at
    http://www.gov.ns.ca/

1995 December 19

Weigh In Motion Scales Installed
at the Canso Causeway

A new system to sort trucks by weight was installed at the scale house at the west end of the Canso Causeway. The new arrangement will reduce the number of left turns and improve safety, Transportation and Communications Minister Richie Mann said today. Weigh in motion scales in the road-bed have been linked to the scale house at the causeway, and a new signal system will indicate to drivers that they should proceed straight through, or report to the scale. "The weigh in motion scales determine whether trucks heading to Cape Breton are overweight," said Mr. Mann. The weight will be registered at the scale house, and, if the truck is overweight, the driver will be given a signal requiring a stop at the scale house. If the vehicle is within legal limits, it will be permitted to pass without stopping. Mann said, "The equipment is in place as part of a federal-provincial project to collect information on numbers and weights of vehicles. Using the equipment to reduce left turning trucks entering and exiting the scale house has addressed a safety concern expressed by many people," he said. Scale house staff will initially operate a manual signal if a truck is required to stop. An automatic signal, linked to the scale itself, was planned be installed within a few months.
[Excerpted from a Press Release]



Wayback Machine
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"Use the Wayback Machine to view web sites from the past."


Archive of This Document:
History of Nova Scotia, Chapter 26

The Wayback Machine has copies of this webpage from the early days:
Archived: 2000 August 15
http://web.archive.org/web/20000815195425/http://www.alts.net/ns1625/nshist26.html
Archived: 2000 December 16
http://web.archive.org/web/20001216023800/http://www.littletechshoppe.com/ns1625/nshist26.html
Archived: 2001 February 8
http://web.archive.org/web/20010208225331/http://www.alts.net/ns1625/nshist26.html
Archived: 2001 April 19
http://web.archive.org/web/20010419163618/http://www.alts.net/ns1625/nshist26.html
Archived: 2001 August 16
http://web.archive.org/web/20010816203830/http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/205/300/nova_scotias_electronic_attic/07-04-09/www.littletechshoppe.com/ns1625nshist26.html
Archived: 2001 November 16
http://web.archive.org/web/20011116230000/http://www.alts.net/ns1625/nshist26.html



Index with links to the other chapters



Go To:   History of Telegraph and Telephone Companies in Nova Scotia
    http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/205/300/nova_scotias_electronic_attic/07-04-09/www.littletechshoppe.com/ns1625telephone.html
Go To:   History of Automobiles in Nova Scotia
    http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/205/300/nova_scotias_electronic_attic/07-04-09/www.littletechshoppe.com/ns1625automobiles.html
Go To:   History of Railway Companies in Nova Scotia
    http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/205/300/nova_scotias_electronic_attic/07-04-09/www.littletechshoppe.com/ns1625railways.html
Go To:   History of Electric Power Companies in Nova Scotia
    http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/205/300/nova_scotias_electronic_attic/07-04-09/www.littletechshoppe.com/ns1625electric.html
Go To:   Index to other online Nova Scotia History
    http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/205/300/nova_scotias_electronic_attic/07-04-09/www.littletechshoppe.com/ns1625histindx.html
Go To:   Home Page
    http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/205/300/nova_scotias_electronic_attic/07-04-09/www.littletechshoppe.com/ns1625index.html

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