The First Mile

Supported by the SSHRC-funded First Nations Innovation Project

Slate Falls First Nation is one of the 26 communities involved with the Northwestern Ontario Broadband Expansion Initiative to construct a Bell Aliant fibre network. Slate Falls recently switched from a satellite connection to a new fibre optic connection. This new network offers broadband at a speed that better serves the needs of telemedicine, IP phones, videoconferencing and administration in this remote community.

The network and local equipment are all owned, controlled and accessed by the Slate Falls community. In this video, community members talk about the importance of broadband to the operations of the community. They also address the importance of offering services at the local level in order to keep money within the community.