Fibre optics to connect 26 NAN communities

Muskrat Dam Chief Gordon Beardy believes future generations across Nishnawbe Aski Nation will benefit from a new fibre optic broadband network set for construction.
“It will promote their communication with the outside world,” Beardy said about the $81 million Northwestern Ontario Broadband Expansion Initiative, which was announced Nov. 19 by Northern Development, Mines and Forestry Minister Michael Gravelle, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Minister John Duncan, Bell Aliant’s Peter Dilworth and Grand Chief Stan Beardy in Thunder Bay. “It will also help them to be a part of the economic development at large.”
Beardy also expressed concerns about environmental impacts from the construction of the fibre optic network over land community members hold as “very sacred,” stressing the partners in the initiative must work together to make sure the environment is protected.
“We have strong fear, but at the same time our young people, we understand, must move forward, they must have better service,” Beardy said. “When First Nations people, the government, the companies (and) industry work together, it’s for the benefit of not only First Nations people, but all people in this land.”
The Northwestern Ontario Broadband Expansion Initiative consists of five projects to be completed over four years with Ontario investing $32 million, the federal government investing about $23 million, and Bell Aliant investing $26 million.
Once the fibre optic network is completed, it will span more than 2,300 kilometres to 26 NAN communities. Red Lake and Pickle Lake will also benefit from the network.
“This fibre optic network will help provide NAN communities with improved access to distance education, health care, government and other business services,” Gravelle said.
Duncan said the fibre optic network will cover an area about the size of the Maritime provinces when it is completed.
“For the individual families and businesses that will soon have access to broadband and Internet, important economic and social benefits will be at their fingertips, including telehealth, business opportunities, distance learning and everything else the wired world has to offer,” Duncan said. “More broadly, it will encourage economic development and spur innovation in the 26 communities of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation through increased access to e-government and other online services, a chance for members of these First Nations more fully to participate in the digital economy and an enhanced quality of life in general.”
Duncan said the federal government is proceeding with the Northwestern Ontario Broadband Expansion Initiative because all Canadians should have access to broadband wherever they live in Canada.
“Broadband Internet is increasingly a must have,” Duncan said. “Access to high-speed Internet coverage for isolated and remote First Nation communities in northwestern Ontario is a top priority for this government.”
Kenora MP Greg Rickford said the new fibre optic network will make technology far more reliable for the communities as current services are just not reliable enough.
“Improving your technology isn’t just about improving communications technology, it’s about economic development, it’s about advancing health sciences and health services in the isolated north,” Rickford said. “On so many fronts this stands to benefit such a vast area and communities that are very near and dear to my heart.”
Grand Chief Beardy said his home community of Muskrat Dam currently has satellite Internet service.
“There is an echo because the time it takes that signal to travel is about two seconds,” Beardy said. “It’s not very reliable – every so often the signal will go out. If it snows too much, the signals will go out. If there is a thunderstorm, the signals go out, so it’s not very reliable.”
Beardy said the new fibre optic network will make a complete difference in how the NAN communities are linked to the outside world.
“That’s what is so exciting,” Beardy said. “Where we are at today, the pace of life, people need to be kept informed and the only way you can keep them informed is to make sure they have access to information.”