Question Period Note: BROADBAND AND INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES

What is the Government of Canada doing to connect more Indigenous communities to high-speed broadband networks?

• High-speed Internet access is a necessity for all Canadians

• Budget 2021 proposes to provide an additional $1 billion over six years, starting in 2021-22, for the Universal Broadband Fund to support a more rapid rollout of broadband projects, bringing the total to $2.75 billion available through the UBF.

• The UBF has set aside $50 million to support mobile projects that will primarily benefit Indigenous peoples’ health, safety and economic needs.

• Thanks to recent federal and provincial investments, Highway 16 in British Columbia, also known as the Highway of Tears, will soon have cellular coverage along the entire route.

SUPPLEMENTARY MESSAGES

• Canada’s Connectivity Strategy recognized that Indigenous communities face unique connectivity challenges and committed to consider the needs of different users, including Indigenous peoples, during planning, program design, and project selection of federal broadband programs.

• To support all applicants, but particularly smaller and Indigenous applicants, the government created a pathfinder service to help identify what funding is available and provide advice on developing projects under the Universal Broadband Fund.

• We have a strong track record in supporting Indigenous communities: under the Connect to Innovate (CTI) program, our $585 million investment will connect over 975 communities, 190 of which are Indigenous.

• The UBF’s Rapid Response Stream has already announced broadband projects connecting 540 Indigenous households, including in communities in Ontario and Alberta.

According to the CRTC’s 2020 Communications Monitoring Report, only 35% of First Nations reserves have access to high-speed Internet at a speed of 50/10 Megabits per second (Mbps), compared with 99% of urban households and 46% of rural households.

In Budget 2019, the government set a target to connect 95% of Canadian homes and businesses to speeds of at least 50/10 Mbps by 2026, and all Canadians by 2030, no matter where they are. Budget 2019 committed funding for the UBF, as well as new, Low Earth Orbit satellite capacity to serve remote and northern communities and top-up the CTI.

In November 2020, the UBF launched a $1.75 billion program, up from the original $1 billion in Budget 2019. This includes:
• $150 million for a Rapid Response stream for projects that will be completed in 2021;
• Up to $750 million for large, high-impact projects;
• Up to $50 million for mobile Internet projects that primarily benefit Indigenous peoples.

Budget 2021 proposes an additional $1 billion over six years, starting in 2021-22, to the UBF to support a more rapid rollout of broadband projects in collaboration with provinces and territories and other partners.

Leading up to the launch of the UBF, ISED met with Indigenous organizations, companies and communities to ensure that the UBF responds to the unique needs of Indigenous peoples.

Through the UBF’s mobile stream, the government announced a partnership with the government of British Columbia to provide 100 percent mobile coverage along BC’s Highway 16, known as the Highway of Tears, by October 2022. The government is contributing up to $2.25 million to this project, which will see 12 new cellular towers built between Prince Rupert and Moricetown to help keep travelers safe.

Project selection and announcements are already underway for the Rapid Response Stream of the UBF. As of April 23, the government has announced over $41 million in funding for 43 projects to connect over 11,000 households across Canada, including 540 Indigenous ones. Announcements can be viewed the selected projects website (https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/139.nsf/eng/00021.htm) or by visiting Canada.ca/get-connected

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