In the Northwest Territories, where geography and remoteness have long complicated access to reliable digital infrastructure, a new federal investment is aiming to narrow the connectivity gap for northern Indigenous communities.
The Government of Canada announced more than $13 million in funding for a Northwestel project that will bring high-speed Internet access to as many as 869 Indigenous households across up to nine communities in the Northwest Territories. The announcement was made in Behchokǫ̀ by the Honourable Buckley Belanger, Secretary of State for Rural Development, alongside the Honourable Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations.
Delivered through the Universal Broadband Fund, the investment is part of Ottawa’s broader effort to ensure Canadians living in rural, remote and Indigenous communities can access reliable and affordable high-speed Internet services.
The project combines terrestrial and next-generation satellite technologies. Northwestel will work with Telesat to secure connectivity capacity through the company’s low Earth orbit satellite network, Telesat Lightspeed. The initiative builds on the Government of Canada’s $600 million agreement with Telesat to expand high-speed Internet access to some of the country’s most difficult-to-reach regions, particularly across the North and Arctic.
For communities where reliable connectivity can directly impact access to healthcare, education, emergency services and economic participation, the investment represents more than a technology upgrade. It is also part of a larger national effort to close the digital divide and improve long-term resilience in northern Canada.
“High-speed Internet isn’t just a luxury—it’s essential infrastructure for modern life. For Canada’s rural, remote and northern communities, having a reliable connection can often mean the difference between being able to access vital virtual health care, find work, grow a business or just keep in touch with loved ones. That’s exactly why our government made a historic commitment to connect 98% of Canadian households to high-speed Internet by the end of 2026 and 100% by 2030. Today’s investment brings us one step nearer to closing that last mile. Through our partnership with Northwestel, up to 869 Indigenous households in communities throughout the Northwest Territories will soon benefit from access to reliable and affordable high-speed Internet,” explained Buckley Belanger, Secretary of State for Rural Development.
Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, emphasized the broader social and economic importance of connectivity for northern residents:
“For too long, too many northern Indigenous communities have had to go without reliable Internet access in a world where safety, opportunity and access to vital services depend on connectivity. Building Canada strong means connecting communities to ensure nobody is left behind. This investment to bring high-speed Internet to more than 850 Indigenous households across the Northwest Territories closes an important gap and ensures the people who call the North home have the same opportunities as people anywhere else in Canada.”
According to Northwestel President Curtis Shaw, the project demonstrates how Canadian-built infrastructure and emerging satellite capabilities can work together to improve service delivery in remote regions:
“Sky to Home brings world-leading fibre infrastructure and low Earth orbit satellite technology together to deliver high-speed, unlimited Internet in remote northern communities. It is how we expand opportunity, strengthen essential services and close the digital divide with a solution built and overseen here in Canada.”
The federal government says it remains on track to meet its national connectivity targets of reaching 98 per cent of Canadian households with high-speed Internet access by the end of 2026 and achieving full nationwide coverage by 2030.
