Canada Expanding High-Speed Internet Access in the Northwest Territories

May 19, 2026

Federal investment of over $13 million will provide up to 869 homes with high-speed Internet access

The federal government announced over $13 million in federal funding for a Northwestel project to bring high-speed Internet access to up to 869 Indigenous households in up to 9 northern communities across the Northwest Territories.

This funding is provided through the Universal Broadband Fund, a program designed to ensure that Canadians in rural, remote and Indigenous communities have access to reliable high-speed Internet.

Northwestel will also partner with Telesat to secure high-speed Internet capacity through the company’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, Telesat Lightspeed. The Government of Canada and Telesat entered into a $600 million agreement to secure high-speed Internet capacity through the constellation, which will use next-generation technology to significantly improve connectivity across the country. Through the agreement, the Government of Canada is making capacity available to Internet service providers like Northwestel to help connect the most challenging rural and remote communities, including those in Canada’s North and Arctic regions.

Better, more reliable connectivity means easier access to important online resources, bridging the digital divide and increasing safety for Indigenous communities.

The Government of Canada has committed to ensuring that every household in Canada has access to high-speed Internet by 2030, and we are on track to meet this connectivity target. This project will build toward that goal, and the government will continue to invest in infrastructure that creates new opportunities and makes sure communities can benefit from all of Canada’s potential.

Here is an overview of the Northwest Territories’ connectivity status:

  • As of May 2026, 85.7% of Northwest Territories households have access to high-speed Internet of at least 50 megabits per second download and 10 megabits per second upload (50/10 Mbps+).
  • In 2021, 67.3% of Northwest Territories households had access to high-speed Internet (50/10 Mbps+).
  • By the end of 2026, 94.5% of Northwest Territories households are projected to have access to high-speed Internet (50/10 Mbps+).

The following communities will benefit from improved Internet access thanks to the Northwestel project funded by the Government of Canada:

Internet
service
provider		Federal
funding		Number of
households to
be served		Communities to
benefit		TechnologyEstimated
completion
date
Northwestel,
UBF-06899		$13,370,072Up to 869Colville Lake (Behdzi
Ahda” First Nation),
Gamètì First Nation,
Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour,
Trout Lake (Sambaa
K’e First Nation), Wekweètì
(Dechi Laot’i First Nations)		Fibre and low
Earth orbit
satellites		March 2028


Source

Quick facts

  • Canada’s Connectivity Strategy aims to provide all Canadians with access to Internet speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps) download / 10 Mbps upload.
  • The Universal Broadband Fund is a $3.225 billion investment by the Government of Canada designed to help provide high-speed Internet access to 98% of Canadian households by the end of 2026 and achieve the national target of 100% access by 2030.
  • Today, 96.3% of Canadian households have access to high-speed Internet, compared to just 79% in 2014.
  • In the Northwest Territories, 85.7% of households currently have access to high-speed Internet.
  • Since 2015, the Government of Canada has invested more than $81 million in connectivity projects in the Northwest Territories.
  • Established as a Crown corporation in 1969, Telesat is now a Canadian-controlled and publicly traded corporation (TSAT: TSX and Nasdaq), employing Canadians across five provinces and one territory. It is one of the world’s largest and most innovative satellite operators.
  • The Government of Canada entered into a $600 million agreement with Telesat Lightspeed to secure high-speed Internet capacity over Canada through the company’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation. Under the agreement, this capacity will help Internet service providers improve connectivity in the most challenging rural and remote communities, including in the Far North.
  • Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit and gender diverse people are more likely to go missing or be murdered than non-Indigenous women. Better connectivity means more tools in moments of danger, helping victims of violence access critical online resources and get help when they need it most.

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