Federal, provincial and territorial Ministers responsible for Innovation and Economic Development met Friday in Vancouver.
Of primary interest for Ministers, including GNWT Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment Wally Schumann, was the topic of high-speed broadband and connectivity across Canada. Ministers received a presentation analyzing connectivity gaps in Canada and discussed strategic approaches to advancing the growth of broadband for all Canadians.
Currently, 84% of the NWT population receives high-speed Internet and 99% of NWT communities have access to 4G wireless (mobile) services. However, while high speed internet has been characterized by download speeds in the range of 10 to 15 megabytes per second, Ministers endorsed a proposal that envisions all communities having access to speeds that are 50 megabytes per second.
Minister Schumann highlighted the GNWT-supported Indigenous Connectivity Summit (October 11-12 in Inuvik) which brought together community network operators, Internet service providers, community members, researchers, policy makers and Indigenous leadership from around the globe to address the issue of internet access and inclusion.
Ministers also received a briefing on best practices in Indigenous economic development.
The Northwest Territories prides itself on being a leader in its approach to partnering and investing with indigenous governments and businesses. Established approaches have pushed the NWT to the forefront of Indigenous participation in mining, exploration, and development.
Related:
The NWT Difference - Five lessons about Indigenous engagement that we can share
Closely linked to national investments in the innovation agenda, the 18th Legislative Assembly has endorsed a mandate commitment to seek ways to expand the knowledge economy in the NWT.
Preliminary steps include the identification of possible growth areas including opportunities to position the NWT as a centre of expertise in the reclamation of resource development sites, promote the NWT as a destination for climate change and permafrost research, and aa a location for the cold-weather testing of products and processes.
In the meantime, ITI continues to invest in initiatives that will support the growth of the NWT knowledge economy: including increasing access to knowledge in the agriculture sector; expanding geoscience information and the implementation of the NTGS Strategic Plan; and – advancing public understanding of resource development in the NWT.
Read more:
Strategic Planning Document to Guide NWT Geological Survey Released
10 Things to Know About the NTGS
Resources and Energy Development Information Comes to Fort Simpson
Prior to their meetings, Ministers attended an "innovation cluster" showcase demonstrating collaborations and products developed by BC companies using existing knowledge and technology in a new way, or developing totally new knowledge and information.
