Feds backs CAD $13M in NWT broadband for Indigenous homes

Canada's federal government has committed more than CAD $13 million to a Northwestel broadband project in the Northwest Territories, aimed at extending high-speed internet access to up to 869 Indigenous households.

The project will cover up to nine northern communities through the Universal Broadband Fund, the national program for improving access in rural, remote and Indigenous areas. Northwestel will work with Telesat to secure capacity on Telesat's low Earth orbit satellite network, Telesat Lightspeed.

The announcement is part of a broader federal push to improve digital infrastructure in northern Canada, where access rates remain below the national average. According to government figures, in the Northwest Territories, 85.7 per cent of households currently have access to high-speed internet, compared with 96.3 per cent nationwide.

The project is intended to narrow long-standing service gaps in remote communities, where limited broadband coverage can restrict access to healthcare, education, employment and communications. The government aims to provide 98 per cent of Canadian households with high-speed internet by the end of 2026 and all households by 2030.

The latest funding comes from the CAD $3.225 billion Universal Broadband Fund. Ottawa has invested more than CAD $81 million in connectivity projects in the Northwest Territories since 2015.

The project also sits alongside a separate CAD $600 million agreement between the federal government and Telesat to secure satellite capacity across Canada. That capacity is being made available to internet service providers serving some of the hardest-to-reach communities, including those in the North and Arctic.

Regional gap

Connectivity has become a recurring issue in public policy discussions about northern and Indigenous communities, where governments and operators argue that terrain, distance and low population density make traditional network buildouts costly. The latest investment combines Northwestel's terrestrial infrastructure with Telesat's satellite coverage to improve service in places that are difficult to connect through fibre alone.

The federal government said stronger connectivity can improve access to online services and enhance safety in Indigenous communities. It also highlighted the role of internet access in helping people reach critical support services during emergencies.

The issue carries added weight in the North, where advocates and policymakers have pointed to the risks faced by Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit and gender-diverse people. Better internet access can help victims of violence reach online resources and seek help more quickly, Ottawa said.

The Assembly of First Nations released a report in July 2023 outlining an implementation framework for better digital connectivity to remote communities.

"Given the scale, geographic range, national construction constraints, and lack of recent Government of Canada investments - the federal mandate to 'Close the Infrastructure Gap by 2030' may not be achievable until the year 2040 - this still being dependent on significant investments to Close the Gap being included in Canada's Budget 2024 fiscal framework," stated the report's executive summary.

Provider role

Northwestel is expected to use the funding to support a service model that combines fibre infrastructure with satellite links, an approach designed for remote northern communities where geography has limited previous options.

"Sky to Home brings world-leading fibre infrastructure and low Earth orbit satellite technology together to deliver high-speed, unlimited Internet in remote northern communities. It is how we expand opportunity, strengthen essential services and close the digital divide with a solution built and overseen here in Canada," said Curtis Shaw, President, Northwestel.