How Business, Industry and Communities are Coming together to Connect the North and Expand Opportunities for Local Residents

There is no denying the beauty and tranquility of the Saskatchewan North. Its isolation seems fundamental to its picturesque serenity, but for residents of Northern Communities, with the splendor of the natural surroundings comes the challenges of access to modern technology.

Members of sparsely populated and geographically remote Northern communities have struggled in the past to remain connected- to not only each other and the rest of Saskatchewan, but to the larger global world. A lack of access to infrastructure that powers technology has also been a barrier to attracting and retaining business and industry to the area to ensure a source of economic sustainability for local residents.

SaskTel launched wireless cellular service in Saskatchewan in 1989, and by 2016, had extended the network to provide coverage to 98.9 % of the population. Although 1.1% of the population seems marginal, to residents of the most remote Saskatchewan communities, the lack of service was a significant issue.

Read the stories of local residents and leaders from Northern Saskatchewan who partnered with SaskTel and other partners to bring cellular service to their communities. Our common goal and guiding vision: Bring the same first class technology to residents of remote communities enjoyed by the rest of the Province, allowing them equal access to the economic and social development opportunities that technology brings.

The story of Stony Rapids, Black Lake, Fond Du Lac First Nation and Wollaston Lake

With ‘fly in only’ access to Wollaston Lake, Black Lake, Stony Rapids and Fond Du Lac, saying they are isolated Northern Saskatchewan communities is somewhat of an understatement.

With all the challenges a remote location brings, residents have embraced this isolation as a means to allow them a unique advantage in preserving their traditional Dene culture and heritage.

Of foremost importance to elders in these communities is the fundamental need of the youth to embrace, practice, and most importantly, pass on, the traditional Dene teachings, language, values, ceremonies and beliefs.

Of equal importance to instilling a strong cultural identity and pride among their people, is the ability of the leaders and elders to foster healthy social and economic conditions in their communities.

Of equal importance to instilling a strong cultural identity and pride among their people, is the ability of the leaders and elders to foster healthy social and economic conditions in their communities.

To do this has been a long time challenge, but rather than shun the new technology that has the potential to alter these conditions drastically- the leaders of these communities began to embrace it- as the possibilities it offers continued to grow.

Despite living on one of the most sparsely populated land masses in the world, their desire for access to cellular wireless technology aligned with SaskTel’s vision of serving all of our Province’s residents, and a partnership was formed.

Although the partners had no shortage of determination in realizing the common goal of getting cellular service to the communities for the first time, both knew the high costs of expansion would represent a major financial challenge to overcome.

By working through an economic analysis of costs vs. potential revenue, SaskTel determined that with some partners support, we could work together to make expansion possible.

This was not the first time SaskTel had extended service to remote locations with the help of partners, so we approached Huawei Canada and Athabasca Basin Development, hoping for their support. As in the past, both came through and committed to help, and the Connected North Project began in 2014.

Cellular service was turned up for Fond Du Lac and Stony Rapids in October 2015, and Wollaston and Black Lake in December 2015. It is clear that in just a short time, the service has already had significant impact.

If there is one thing both community leaders, SaskTel, and partner businesses like Athabasca Basin Development and Huawei Canada believe in, it is that residents of Stony Rapids, Wollaston Lake, Fond Du Lac and Black Lake deserve access to the same opportunities afforded to other Saskatchewan residents, and that access to technology will take them one step closer to the brighter future they have planned.

See the complete video at: https://vimeo.com/162867272

It is also on maxTV Local on Demand - Channel 48 and 348 in HD.