The Canada North Fibre Loop is live. Here’s why it matters
Like you, we call the North home. We value nothing more than serving the incredible people who make up our vibrant communities. Today, it feels like a new day for our shared home. Northern Indigenous ownership of Northwestel is on the horizon. And finally, the launch of groundbreaking infrastructure that lets us deliver an unprecedented level of reliability to our friends, families, and neighbours has arrived.
Join us below as we share some of the ways we’re strengthening our home.
In the summer of 2023, a catastrophic wildfire in the Northwest Territories’ Mackenzie Valley area severely damaged the Mackenzie Valley Fibre Link (MVFL), which is owned by the Government of the Northwest Territories and provides high-speed internet to Inuvik and surrounding communities. For nearly two weeks, dangerous conditions prevented technicians from accessing the damaged section of fibre, leaving residents with reduced internet speeds and capacity during a time when they were forced to stay indoors due to heavy smoke. Families, remote workers, and businesses struggled to stay connected, highlighting the critical role of reliable internet in daily life.
“It was tough going,” said Calvin MacDonald, one of our technicians in Inuvik. “Having little to no internet while being stuck inside at home because of the oppressive smoke caused cabin fever for many people. I can only imagine how hard it was for families with little kids.”
Roughly a year later, on August 25, 2024, another significant disruption occurred, caused by an issue in Northern British Columbia. The outage impacted landline, cellular, internet, and TV services across the Yukon and even had impacts on some services in NWT and Nunavut. It forced many businesses to close or operate on a cash-only basis.
These events underscore how important fast, reliable internet is for Northerners both at home and home-away-from-home (read: work). Northerners know all too well that reliable internet is no longer a luxury—it’s a lifeline.
Thankfully, we have some good news to share today: The Canada North Fibre Loop (CNFL) is now operational, bringing much-needed resilience to the North’s internet and cellular networks. Spanning an incredible 4,000 kilometres—greater than the distance between Toronto and Mexico City by road—the CNFL helps protect against disruptions like those caused by natural disasters or power outages, so they will have less impact moving forward.
With the CNFL in place, Northerners can look forward to a stronger, more reliable connection to each other, and the world.
Home is a network you can rely on
The CNFL consists of several interconnected parts. South of Dawson City, YT, it relies on Northwestel’s fibre infrastructure. In NWT, the loop includes both Northwestel-owned fibre lines and the MVFL, which runs from High Level, Alberta, to Inuvik.
The most recently completed part of the CNFL is the Dempster Fibre Line (DFL), which runs from Dawson City to Inuvik. Back in mid-September, the Government of Yukon announced the completion of construction on the fibre line, which follows the iconic Dempster Highway, and handed the project over to Northwestel for commissioning and testing.
“Our commissioning and testing work on the DFL were incredibly smooth, and we were able to meet all our deadlines. The fibre line down the Dempster Highway is connected to the MVFL in Inuvik, officially closing the CNFL, and our team is incredibly optimistic that this loop will greatly improve internet and cellular resiliency along its route”—Nathan Pullar, Northwestel Director of Connectivity and Infrastructure
How exactly will the CNFL improve network resiliency? Imagine this: a portion of the Alaska Highway in Northern BC washes out and takes a key fibre line with it. Before the CNFL, such a disruption would have left all Yukon communities north of the damage with limited internet and cellular access. Thanks to the CNFL, this type of break will likely not impact our customers. While our local crews quickly dispatch to deal with the damage, internet and cellular traffic will be seamlessly rerouted through the NWT, travelling up the NWT portion of the loop and down the Dempster, keeping our customers connected without interruption.
In addition to enhancing protection against unexpected service outages and disruptions, the CNFL also means that our planned network maintenance will often result in no customer impact.
“The CNFL represents a transformative leap for telecommunications in the North and should significantly enhance our customers’ internet service experience, protecting them from disruptions, whether from planned network maintenance or external factors like natural disasters,” Tammy April, Northwestel Vice President of Customer Experience, says, adding, “The loop ushers in a new age of greater connectivity for Northerners, and is a major step in bridging the digital divide between Canada’s North and South.”
Home is the fastest internet in the North
While today’s headline is the successful launch of the CNFL and the unprecedented strength and resilience of our network, there are more exciting developments at Northwestel that we’re proud to share.
Earlier this year, we introduced Unlimited Internet 50, our most inexpensive unlimited home internet plan to date. With download speeds of up to 50 Mbps and costing as little as $109.95 per month when combined with popular bundle credits, this plan offers exceptional value and is more affordable than satellite alternatives.
We’ve also unveiled our fastest plans yet: Unlimited Internet 700 for residential customers and Business 750 Unlimited, designed for businesses with demanding connectivity needs.
And we’re not stopping there. Powered by our dedicated team of Northerners, we’re working towards a new milestone: 1 Gbps download speeds, a goal we’re determined to achieve in the near future by using the fastest and most reliable internet technology available: fibre optics.
Home is committing to a more connected tomorrow
Soon, one of the biggest deals in the North’s history is expected to close when Northwestel is acquired by Sixty North Unity, a coalition of Indigenous organizations from Northern Canada. Once finalized, the deal will make Northwestel the world’s largest Indigenous telecommunications company and 100% northern-owned—with our owners hailing exclusively from the traditional territories we serve.
“The Northwestel team is filled with honour and gratitude to serve the North in this more profound way. This monumental step towards economic reconciliation will see direct benefits stay in northern Indigenous communities. I can’t wait to see what advancements this new partnership will bring to Northern Canadians,” says Curtis Shaw, President of Northwestel.
As the largest private-sector employer in the North, we are deeply committed to the areas where we operate, contributing more than $650,000 annually to various community initiatives.
Our new owners will ensure that funds spent with Northwestel benefit northern communities, with plans for substantial investments in the region’s telecommunication infrastructure. Among their priorities is the hopeful rollout of a fibre line under Great Slave Lake, which would enhance redundancy for our internet customers in Yellowknife.
We’re also aiming for further innovations, setting our sights on improving services in our satellite communities by blending cutting-edge low-Earth orbit connectivity with subsea fibre lines.
“This acquisition allows us to take the lead in continuing to address the critical gap in telecommunications services in our northern communities. Expanded investments in fibre and low-Earth orbit infrastructure have the ability to transform the North and put us on equal footing with the rest of Canada”—David Omilgoitok, a leader at Sixty North Unity
As we continue building the best possible network, we remain dedicated to delivering exceptional, friendly service, and offering our customers the most competitive packages.
As we look to the future together, we share with you the vision of a North where everyone prospers and thrives. Where we have best-in-class connectivity, no matter how remote your community is. Where money spent by Northerners benefits Northerners. Where Indigenous rightsholders are leading key sectors that impact their lands and people. We share this vision of home with you all and are honoured to be taking these monumental steps to help get us there.
