The First Mile

Supported by the SSHRC-funded First Nations Innovation Project

Northern Digital Opportunities Strategy (CanNor)

In 2008, the Speech from the Throne announced the creation of a new stand-alone agency focused on northern economic development, a key deliverable under the government’s Northern Strategy. In 2009, the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) was provided with $50 million over five years to “to help provide the foundation for a prosperous economic future for those who live, work and support their families in the North” (Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, n.d.).

As of June 2010, CanNor’s ICT Working Group began working towards defining and establishing a northern-focused ‘Digital Opportunities Strategy’ to assist in developing an Agency ICT policy and strategy. This strategy aims to: strengthen northern ICT tools; address the communications needs of the North within the federal context; facilitate the planning and delivery of communications technology and digital literacy among citizens in the north; allow market forces to function where and when possible; and acknowledge government’s role in ensuring northern residents possess the skills, knowledge and tools required for full participation in the global economy. Part of the strategy involves identifying the communications infrastructure and capacity requirements needed for effective community and economic development. The lead-up to the strategy builds on several recent meetings, including the Northern Communications and Information Systems Working Group (NCIS WG). Members of this group include Government of Canada departments like Justice, Fisheries, Environment, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (formerly Indian and Northern Affairs Canada), Canadian Space Agency, Public Safety and Human Resources and Skills Development, as well as representatives from Territorial governments. The premiers of the Yukon, Northwest and Nunavut Territories are also linked to these developments. The premiers published a communiqué on May 14, 2010 that stated they “agreed that reliable connectivity to satellite transmission across the North is essential for the continued economic and social development of northern communities and they urged the federal government to continue to support that policy” (24, interview). The communiqué also noted the opportunities for significant partnerships between the territorial premiers and CanNor:

One area of focus is telecommunications. The premiers discussed the opportunity of identifying ways to enhance telecommunications to support services such as healthcare, justice and education and directed their governments to formalize a pan-territorial policy working group on telecommunications (Northern Premiers’ Forum, 2010, p. 2).

Substantive program funding to support this work has not yet been released. Infrastructure Canada has a $225 digital program, which has announced local-level projects. The Territories have connectivity on their agenda, but have not taken substantive action. CanNor is funding a survey of northern government departments and communities that will identify existing communications capacities and infrastructure across the north and identify future needs.

As of August 2011, a few funding packages had been committed, including a $275,000 commitment to the K’atl’odeeche First Nation of the Northwest Territories in order "to build a local fibre-optic network, establish local ICT certification training, and research the potential to build a fibre-optic connection to southern Canada to access broadband services" (Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, 2011).