The First Mile

Supported by the SSHRC-funded First Nations Innovation Project

National Satellite Initiative – Part 1 (Industry Canada) and Part 2 (Infrastructure Canada)

First Nations and Inuit satellite-based broadband infrastructure projects were created in large part through two rounds of funding under the National Satellite Initiative (NSI). Forty-three remote Inuit and First Nations communities, and two non-First Nations or Inuit communities in the northern regions of Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba receive Internet services through the Northern Indigenous Community Satellite Network (NICSN). In 2002, communities in Nunavut, NWT and northern Ontario began sharing satellite bandwidth provided through a Public Benefit Transponder. In 2003, NSI allocated a second Public Benefit Transponder to NICSN to provide connectivity services to public institutions in 43 communities. NSI also funded one project in Nunavut ($7.83 million to provide broadband service via satellite to all 25 communities), and one project in NWT ($7.0 million for 31 communities in NWT). These territorial projects are guided by boards of directors that include First Nations and Inuit representatives, but are owned and administered by a commercial organization, SSI Micro.

In 2007, Infrastructure Canada announced funding for NSI Part 2. This second round of NSI funding would improve connectivity services by adding more transponders and bandwidth to the existing satellite-based broadband infrastructure.

Despite evidence of the success of these projects in achieving economies of scale, network efficiencies, and strong, long-term partnerships across geographic and jurisdictional boundaries, the satellite-based broadband infrastructure and connectivity services are in danger of losing core funding. In one key informant’s words: “The trend appears clear: lower funding for less stable lengths of time”.