The announcement was made today by the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and Ms. Maggie Emudluk, Chairperson of the Kativik Regional Government, representing the Northern Indigenous Community Satellite Network (NICSN). The NICSN involves a partnership among three Organizations: the Kativik Regional Government (KRG) in Quebec; the Keewatin Tribal Council (KTC) in Manitoba; and the Keewaytinook Okimakanak Tribal Council (KOTC) in Ontario.
"Broadband is a key piece of infrastructure for 21st Century communities to help support their economic growth and prosperity," said Minister Cannon. "Canada's New Government is pleased to partner with the Kativik Regional Government and the Northern Indigenous Community Satellite Network on this initiative that will provide residents with improved access to a wide range of services and will help stimulate economic development and enhance people's quality of life. E-health and tele-eduation are just two services this investment will open up."
"With the ever increasing use of technology in a very short period of time, we have witnessed an increased consumption of broadband use to the point that important services such as tele-health and tele-education could not benefit from this technology. Therefore, this announcement will allow us to provide these important services to the region," said Ms. Emudluk.
Canada's New Government is contributing up to $20.65 million, or 75 per cent of the $27.5 million cost, for the procurement of two satellite transponders and the required earth station and local access network upgrades. The funding is made available through the Government of Canada's National Satellite Initiative (NSI). The remaining 25 per cent ($6.88 million) will come from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund ($1.8 million), the Government of Québec's Villages branchés program ($2.2 million) and Telesat Canada ($2.88 million).
This project complements an initiative of the first round of the NSI, which allocated one Public Benefit Transponder (PBT) to NICSN to provide service to public institutions in the 43 communities. The funding announced today will enable the provision of broadband services to all members of the community.
Financial support for this project is conditional on meeting applicable federal requirements, including the successful completion of environmental assessments required under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, and the successful negotiation of a contribution agreement.
This is the first NSI project to be announced in Quebec. Two other NSI projects have received funding to date: one in Nunavut, and the other in the Northwest Territories.
Through its unprecedented $33-billion "Building Canada" plan, Canada's New Government will help meet infrastructure needs across Canada through long-term, stable and predictable funding. "Building Canada" will support a stronger, safer and better country, through infrastructure projects that support cleaner air and water, a stronger economy, and a better quality of life for our communities.
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BACKGROUNDER
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CANADA'S NEW GOVERNMENT PROVIDES $20.65M FOR WIDER BROADBAND ACCESS TO 43 NORTHERN COMMUNITIES
Project Description
Canada's New Government is contributing up to $20.65 million, up to 75 per cent of the $27.5 million cost, for this multi-jurisdictional project that will provide additional bandwidth to 43 communities in the northern regions of Québec, Manitoba and Ontario, serving over 46,000 people.
These communities currently have access to limited bandwidth that can not meet current or future community needs. The project announced today involves the provision of two satellite transponders that will provide bandwidth not only to public institutions, but to the entire communities they serve. To support this bandwidth, the project will also upgrade the satellite earth stations and local access networks within the communities where required.
This additional bandwidth will enable enhanced delivery of government services through e-governance; improved delivery of justice, education and healthcare services with the use of videoconferencing; and improved economic development and e-commerce for communities.
Canada's New Government will provide this funding to the Kativik Regional Government (KRG) on behalf of the Northern Indigenous Community Satellite Network (NICSN). The NICSN involves a partnership among three organizations: the Kativik Regional Government (KRG) in Quebec; the Keewatin Tribal Council (KTC) in Manitoba; and the Keewaytinook Okimakanak Tribal Council (KOTC) in Ontario.
NICSN currently operates a satellite network that provides the 43 communities with broadband capacity for public institutions. Each of these communities is equipped with a state of the art satellite earth station. A master earth station located in Sioux Lookout, Ontario serves as the Internet gateway and network management center.
The remaining 25 per cent of the funding for this project ($6.88 million) will come from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund ($1.8 million), the Government of Québec's Villages branchés program ($2.2 million) and Telesat Canada ($2.88 million).
Project Benefits
This project will enable the provision of broadband services to all members of the 43 communities. Through this project, increased access to broadband will help to improve quality of life and social development. It will also increase the potential for innovation and economic development in Canada's communities by connecting Canadians and improving the electronic delivery of public services such as health, education and government services.
Government of Canada Funding Sources
Funding for this broadband project falls under the National Satellite Initiative (NSI), which was launched by Industry Canada in partnership with Infrastructure Canada, and the Canadian Space Agency. NSI was created to make available affordable satellite capacity for the deployment of broadband services (such as tele-health, tele-education, e-commerce, etc.) to communities in the far to mid-north, and in isolated and remote areas of Canada, where satellite technology is the only practical solution.
ROUND 1: The Industry Canada Component (C-Band Credit), which is now completed, consisted of providing satellite capacity from Telesat Canada's Public Benefit Transponder (PBT), valued at $20 million over 15 years, to deploy public and community-based services to remote communities.
Under Round 1, one PBT was allocated to NICSN to provide service to public institutions in the 43 communities. The PBT provides NICSN with 36 MHz of satellite capacity supporting 31 Mbps of usable bandwidth.
ROUND 2: The Government of Canada's Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund allocated $85 million to the NSI to fund the acquisition of satellite capacity and common ground infrastructure for satellite-based broadband projects in isolated and remote communities across Canada.
Under Round 2, up to $20.65 million is being provided to fund two satellite transponders and to upgrade the satellite earth stations and local access networks for 43 communities in the northern regions of Québec, Manitoba and Ontario.
Two other projects have been announced under the NSI to date from Round 2:
- Nunavut - $7.83M to provide broadband service via satellite to all 25 communities in Nunavut
- Northwest Territories - $7.0M to provide broadband service via satellite to 31 communities in the Northwest Territories
Northern Indigenous Community Satellite Network Communities
------------------------------------------------------------------------ Manitoba Ontario Quebec ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Barren Lands FN Attawapiskat First Nation Aupaluk ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Garden Hill FN Cat Lake First Nation Akulivik ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Manto Sipi Cree Nation Fort Severn Inukjuak ------------------------------------------------------------------------ God's Lake FN Fort Hope Kangiqsujuaq ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Northlands Dene FN Kasabonika Lake Kangiqsualujjuaq ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bunibonibee Cree FN Lansdowne House Kangirsuk ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Poplar River FN Martin Falls Kuujjuaq ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mathias Colomb Cree Nation Muskrat Dam Kuujjuarapik ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Shamattawa First Nation Peawanuck Ivujivik ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sayisi Dene FN Sachigo Lake Puvirnituk ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ste Theresa Point FN Slate Falls Quaqtaq ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Red Sucker Lake FN Weagamow Lake Salluit ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Wasagamack Webequie Tasiujaq ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Berens Umiujaq ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mosakahikan Cree Nation ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bloodvein FN ------------------------------------------------------------------------
For further information: Natalie Sarafian, Press Secretary to the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, (613) 991-0700; Infrastructure Canada, Communications and Promotion, (613) 948-1148; Jean-Francois Dumoulin, Assistant-Director Administration Department, IT section, Kativik Regional Government, Montreal: (514) 745-8880 ext. 246, Kuujjuaq: (819) 964-2961 ext. 2343
Quelle/Source: Canada NewsWire, 24.08.2007
