CRTC Takes Action To Bring Fibre Internet To 4 Inuit Communities In Nunavut For The First Time

To provide high-speed fibre Internet to four isolated Inuit villages in Nunavut—including one community that speaks an official language other than English—the CRTC is acting today. These communities will never have fiber-based Internet before.

The CRTC is giving the Nunavutan government $271.9 million through its Broadband Fund to construct a 1300-kilometre fibre link that will provide high-speed Internet access to the towns of Iqaluit, Kinngait, Coral Harbour, and Kimmirut.

Nunavut’s 25 villages are not connected by roads; the only ways to get there are by air or sea. It is the largest and northernmost territory in Canada and one of the hardest regions to establish networks in. In these places, this project will link more than 80 vital public institutions, such as community learning centres, schools, and healthcare facilities. The fibre connections will help with upcoming initiatives to link residences and commercial buildings throughout Nunavut.

The regional Inuit Associations, the local Hunters and Trappers Organizations, political officials from the four villages, and other local companies all provided the project with a great deal of support. Better connectivity, according to these groups, will assist the area greatly in several areas, including economic development, health care, education, and culture.

For Nunavut, the CRTC is providing financing for a second initiative. The CRTC approved funds in December 2023 to first provide high-speed satellite Internet to every community in Nunavut. When combined, the two projects will improve inhabitants’ access to dependable, high-quality, and varied Internet services and lay the groundwork for connecting the entire Nunavut.

More funding announcements will be made in the upcoming months by the CRTC, which is currently reviewing applications for the Broadband Fund.

“High-quality communications services are important to every aspect of our daily lives. This major project will connect one of the most remote regions of our country to fibre Internet. This will have a significant impact in four communities, connecting over 80 public institutions, including schools, healthcare centres, and community learning centres.”

– Vicky Eatrides, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, CRTC

Facts To Know

As an impartial quasi-judicial body, the CRTC oversees the Canadian communications industry for the benefit of the general public. To make decisions about broadcasting and telecommunications, the CRTC consults the public and reviews public records.
The Broadband Fund was established by the CRTC in 2019 to support the connectivity of underserved rural, remote, and Indigenous communities across Canada. In more than 230 towns and along approximately 540 kilometers of critical transportation routes, the CRTC has contributed over $570 million to date.

The CRTC held a public consultation to enhance the Broadband Fund in March 2023. A co-development process will be initiated by the CRTC to establish an Indigenous Broadband Fund stream.
Indigenous involvement in CRTC proceedings will be supported by the newly established Indigenous Relations Team of the CRTC, which will also make sure that the unique characteristics and lived experiences of Indigenous peoples are taken into account throughout the CRTC’s operations. For interested parties and First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, the team acts as a single point of contact at the CRTC.