Government of Canada Invests in Enhanced Connectivity for the North

Funding for two projects will help to address connectivity needs

YELLOWKNIFE, NWT, April 22, 2014 /CNW/ - 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 GNWT 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
Northern Connections: Broadband and Canada's Digital Divide
Government of Canada Invests in Northern Connectivity
Pan-territorial Partners Make Broadband Connectivity Recommendations

SOURCE: Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor)

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

CanNor works to help develop a diversified, sustainable and dynamic economy across Canada's three territories, and delivers on its northern mandate through funding programs, the Northern Projects Management Office and by undertaking policy and research.

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

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

For more information about CanNor, visit cannor.gc.ca

For more information on Canada's Northern Strategy, visit: northernstrategy.ca