The federal government has announced over $86 million in funding for a Northwestel project to bring unlimited high-speed internet to 11,650 households in Nunavut. The investment will reach all 25 communities across the territory.
To provide the connection, Northwestel is partnering with Telesat to use its low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, Telesat Lightspeed. This project utilizes a broader $600 million agreement between the feds and Telesat to secure high-speed capacity for the country’s most remote regions.
The deal will see fibre laid to Nunavut households plus satellite internet to Arctic Bay (Ikpiarjuk), Arviat, Baker Lake (Qamani’tuuq), Cambridge Bay (Iqaluktuuttiaq), Chesterfield Inlet (Igluligaarjuk), Clyde River (Kangiqtugaapik), Coral Harbour (Salliq), Gjoa Haven (Usqsuqtuuq), Grise Fiord (Ausuittuq), Igloolik (Iglulik), Iqaluit, Kimmirut, Kinngait, Kugaaruk, Kugluktuk, Naujaat, Pangnirtung, Pond Inlet (Mittimatalik), Qikiqtarjuaq, Rankin Inlet (Kangiqtiniq), Resolute Bay (Qausuittuq), Sanikiluaq, Sanirajak, Taloyoak, and Whale Cove (Tikirarjuaq).
Also separately, Northwestel signed a capacity agreement with Telesat. This agreement is not part of the UBF funding announced by ISED today.
This plan is part of Canada’s Connectivity Strategy, which aims to provide all Canadians with internet speeds of at least 50/10 Mbps. Currently, 96.3% of Canadian households have access to high-speed internet, and the government is working to reach 100% by 2030.
In Nunavut, this new infrastructure will provide better access to health care and education, job opportunities, plus critical online resources for safety.
Officials noted that the project is a “transformative investment” that ensures people in the North have the same reliable tools for success as the rest of Canada. By using the Telesat satellite constellation, the project provides a sovereign satellite solution (well, Telesat is just over 1/3 owned by U.S. investment firms) designed to close the digital divide in the Arctic once and for all.
Telesat Lightspeed is scheduled to begin global service in 2027, but the company currently has only one operational prototype satellite in orbit, known as LEO 1. The service will not be direct to consumer as it will be sold to customers through telecom providers. SpaceX’s Starlink internet has over 10,000 satellites in orbit and over 5.2 million active customers globally.
Update: headline updated to note funding is for NorthwesTel and not Telesat and also clarified the project is both fibre and satellite.
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Getting desperate for customer’s money, I see. They never cared for the north until Starlink came around.