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 this 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 Yukon, Northwest, and Nunavut Territories are also linked to these developments. The three territorial 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).

In 2011, CanNor funded a survey of northern government departments and service providers that identified existing communications capacities and infrastructure across the north and identified future needs. The Arctic Communications Infrastructure Assessment Report argues the importance of reliable communication infrastructure in the North of the country in order to protect Canada’s sovereignty, and to ensure safe passage of air, sea and road traffic through the region (Northern Communications & Information Systems Working Group, 2011).

In 2011, CanNor also provided $275,000 to the K’atl’odeeche First Nation of the Northwest Territories "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).  Read about this project in more detail HERE.

K’atl’odeechee First Nation (KFN) received further CanNor funding in 2013 to expand their community networking project. KFN will receive $279,000 over two years to install twelve kilometers of fibre to connect their community network to NorthwestTel’s existing fibre network and link the network to Alberta’s SuperNet line. The high-speed network will provide homes and businesses in K’atl’odeechee First Nation with a faster and more powerful service and will support economic development and public services in the community.