Government of Canada Invests in Enhanced Connectivity for the North

News Release

Funding for two projects will help to address connectivity needs

April 22, 2014 – Yellowknife, NWT – Office of the Minister of the Environment, Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor), and Minister for the Arctic Council.

Minister Leona Aglukkaq today announced funding for two projects in the Northwest Territories. First, CanNor funding will be used to support Northern Connections: Broadband and Canada’s Digital Divide. This project brought major communications stakeholders together in Spring 2014 to synthesize data and determine the next steps required to achieve enhanced connectivity for the North.

CanNor is also investing in connectivity at the community level in Colville Lake, Northwest Territories. This investment will enhance the communications capacity of Colville Lake’s development corporation through the purchase of IT equipment and standardized information systems. This project will increase efficiency and information sharing and the community’s capacity to connect to emerging economic opportunities and partners in the Sahtu Region of the Northwest Territories.

Quick facts

In collaboration with the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Public Policy Forum, CanNor’s funding of $25,000 helped bring together northern decision makers to discuss the design and implementation stages of enhancing northern connectivity. Reports can be viewed on Canada’s Public Policy Forum’s website.
CanNor partnered with Berah Gutone Tue Enterprises Ltd. with an investment of $130,000 for connectivity upgrades for the community of Colville Lake, NWT.

Quotes

“Our Government is proud to invest in projects that will improve access and reliability of connectivity in communities, which is important to the long-term economic growth and prosperity of Canada’s North.”
- Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of the Environment, Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, and Minister for the Arctic Council

“Broadband connectivity is one of the greatest enablers for economic diversification, growth and service delivery. This is one of the many reasons the NWT has invested in the Mackenzie Valley Fibre Link. We are proud to partner with CanNor and the Public Policy Forum in order to seek common ground and identify areas for collaboration to help expand connectivity in the North.”
- J. Michael Miltenberger, Minister of Finance, Government of the Northwest Territories

“Although we are a very small, isolated community we rely on the internet for our daily business and community government operations therefore we are very pleased with the proposed upgade.”
- Joseph Kochon, Band Manager, Behdzi Ahda First Nation

Associated links

Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Office of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq
Ted Laking
819-997-1441

Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
Christina Gray
Communications Advisor, NWT Region
867-766-8435

Government of the Northwest Territories
Shaun Dean
Press Secretary
867-669-2304

Behdzi Ahda First Nation
Joseph Kochon
Band Manager
867-709-2200

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Date modified:: 2016-12-14

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Government of Canada Invests in Enhanced Connectivity for the North

News Release

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