Straight Talk

B.C. First Nations’ lack of broadband Internet access called “ridiculous”

by Stephen Hui on February 22nd, 2012 at 3:24 PM
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      The coordinator of the First Nations Technology Council says she’s disappointed that many aboriginal communities in B.C. continue to lack broadband Internet access.

      “Here it’s 2012, and we still have a chunk of First Nations that may not be connected for four years,” Sue Hanley said in an interview at the Coast Plaza Hotel in Vancouver. “It’s absolutely ridiculous when you look at what’s happening around the world.”

      Hanley spoke to the Straight on February 21, hours before the B.C. Liberal government released its 2012 budget.

      One budget document, the service plan of the Ministry of Labour, Citizens’ Services and Open Government, shows that 170 First Nations, or 84 percent of those in B.C., are forecast to have high-speed Internet connectivity by the end of the 2011–12 fiscal year. That would leave 33 First Nations, or 16 percent, without broadband access.

      Government targets would see 195 First Nations, or 96 percent, with broadband by 2014–15. These targets have been lowered over the years. For instance, a 2009 budget document put the 2011–12 target at 190 First Nations, or 94 percent.

      “We’ve been told that roughly the timeline is that 10 per year will be connected, although we haven’t seen that happening,” FNTC executive director Norm Leech told the Straight at the hotel, where his organization will hold its Information and Communication Technology Summit from Thursday to Saturday (February 23 to February 25).

      Minister of Labour, Citizens’ Services and Open Government Margaret MacDiarmid told the Straight “geographically less challenging” First Nations have been connected more quickly than more remote communities.

      “We’ve actually done very well, relative to other jurisdictions,” MacDiarmid said by phone. “But having said that, I really do understand when people are complaining and asking us to go as quickly as we can. It’s very important.”

      Leech noted that the federal and provincial governments have allocated funds for connectivity, but said the FNTC must continue to advocate for broadband in all of B.C.’s 203 First Nations.

      “We have to keep raising the issue that 93-percent-rate connectivity does not constitute mission accomplished in B.C.,” Leech said, referring to the percentage of B.C. residents with broadband access.

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      Comments

      11 Comments

      Cat

      Feb 22, 2012 at 5:43pm

      One of the pains and pleasures of living in a remote setting.

      James Smythe

      Feb 22, 2012 at 6:03pm

      All the bands that want Broadband should pay for it . Thats what we the rest of Canada did. Why is the rest of Canada has to pay for the still to this day to bootstrap themselves to "the modern age". These communities in no way are being held back they may of been in the past so what is stopping them? The leadership in the communities is my answer in this. What are they doing wrong that businesses dont want to do service to them, generally anywhere they see a dollar can be made they will go there.

      seth

      Feb 22, 2012 at 7:20pm

      Funny BCHydro has no problem running in the broadband for the smart meter program. Perhaps the stupid politician might be persuaded to ask if innernet can hitch a ride.
      seth

      @James Smythe

      Feb 23, 2012 at 8:18am

      "All the bands that want Broadband should pay for it . Thats what we the rest of Canada did"

      This statement is patently false. The poster clearly does not have a basic understanding of broadband development. Or basic grammar.

      "We the rest of Canada" did not pay for backbone infrastructure at all. A number of studies have demonstrated that broadband infrastructure has not been developed in rural and remote communities, including First Nations, for a number of reasons. See for example the federal government-commissioned ACIA report (which is focused on the far north but outlines key challenges that apply to similarly rural and remote communities in B.C.).

      The ACIA report (Chap 8) notes that in those regions, due to the lack of strong business case to develop broadband infrastructure in rural and remote communities, telecos have competed for government subsidies in their infrastructure builds. See: http://yukon-news.com/news/26318/

      I could go on about other inaccuracies in the poster's statements, but that would take all day :)

      http://www.aciareport.ca/

      Techie

      Feb 23, 2012 at 8:34am

      @seth

      The internet could hitch a ride on the smart meter system if BC Hydro installed the hardwired version of smart meters using the power grid as the communication medium. But, it is not as easy and convenient to install, somebody would have to install a data shunt on transformers. And, smart meters were a enforced political decision (short sighted on big picture thinking with no dual purpose thought involved).

      seth

      Feb 23, 2012 at 1:42pm

      @techie

      BCHydro is running fibre optic cable into each neighborhood to feed a 900Mhz access point. They could easily extend the fibre to every block into a 2.4/5 Ghz access point. The extra cost is minimal and the politics a lot more forgiving.

      It is not necessary to use HPNA.
      seth

      Dan in Van

      Feb 24, 2012 at 3:08pm

      @@James "We the rest of Canada" did not pay for backbone infrastructure at all.

      Okay so if you don't think "We" paid for it... then who did? Was it a kind gesture from the Uzbekistanis that I didn't know about?

      2nd Nation

      Feb 24, 2012 at 4:22pm

      as long as there are reserves there will be severely unequal conditions (in education, crime rates, poverty, substance abuse, broadband access...).

      Any severely isolated community (by geography, infrastructure, genetic isolation...) will have these problems.

      the solution is to get rid of the reserve system

      morgus

      Feb 26, 2012 at 11:15am

      "the solution is to get rid of the reserve system"

      Yes, lets have a fire sale of the on resource the countries First Nations still have while the least ethical government in Canadian history is in power.

      A: They are not fools and would never allow it

      B. Even if it did prepare for a 1 million more homeless people.

      Second Nation

      Mar 1, 2012 at 3:56pm

      @morgus:

      1. thanks for replying without a personal attack;

      2. are you implying that aboriginal people are incapable of responsibly selling their assets?

      3. why does the disappearance of the reserve system imply that 1 million people would become homeless? there are plenty of aboriginal people living off reserve and in homes that they pay for and rent themselves.

      Not following your thinking.

      My point is when you entrench people on a spot of land for life that is extremely remote that you will forever have tremendous poverty and the awful ailments that go with it (drug addiciton, rape, violence, depression...).