Northern Innovations

Innovation can improve our ability to locate and develop our natural resources, open up northern remote, developing and Aboriginal markets to trade, as well as provide access to education and health services for northern communities. Innovation value is not only extracted from technology, but from knowledge, ideas, and related products and services. Government programs need to be flexible and apply a broad definition of innovation, such as the Yukon Innovation Action Plan.

Application of Information Technology
Networks connect northern communities to each other and to the world, providing an equal opportunity to share and deliver information and services, as well as access to the global economy.

• The Alberta SuperNet is a high speed broadband network linking 4,200 libraries, schools, hospitals and government offices in 429 communities throughout the province.
• In the Northwest Territories, six Aboriginal organizations, led by Denendeh Development Corporation, partnered with SSI Micro, a northern communications company to build a broadband satellite network throughout territory. The partnership led to the establishment of Falcon Communications, the business that oversees the project. The Aboriginal organizations, SSI Micro and the federal and territorial governments provided funding and in-kind support for the initiative, which has resulted in broadband access in every NWT community as well as local employment for Community Service Providers.
• The Nunavut Broadband Development Corporation (NBDC), a not-for-profit organization, was created to ensure communities, companies, organizations and individuals not served by existing government networks are able to get connected to broadband at affordable prices. After less than two years of operation, Qiniq network is in more than 35% of all households and businesses in Nunavut.
• Northern Ontario participates in one of the largest and most technologically advanced optical research and education networks of its kind in the world, linking 23 locations in the province.
• The Keewatin Career Development Corporation (KCDC) works with northern communities and First Nation schools in Saskatchewan and Alberta to help them use information and communication technology. Educational programming and skill training by video conference through the Knowledge and Career Development Network are the latest innovations provided by KCDC. Furthermore, in 2006 the Saskatchewan Research Network extended its high bandwidth research and education network to La Ronge, the most northerly location for such service in Canada.
• A public-private joint venture made it possible to establish a broadband satellite network to service 14 northern villages in Nord-du-Québec.
• Information and communications technology in the Yukon makes it the most connected place in North America on a per capita basis.

Innovative Products and Services
Northern products and services have developed in response to our unique challenges. The construction industry in the Northwest Territories and Yukon Territory is recognized for its innovative building solutions for the harsh Arctic conditions. One notable example is the construction of winter ice roads that provide access to northern resources and communities. Other distinctly northern products include the Habitaflex collapsible house developed for Northern Québec, the BuckVu hunting blind designed by an outfitter from Northern Saskatchewan, and the Cumberland Kite, a Nunavut innovation that improves commercial long-line fishing.

Innovative Health, Education and Research Services
The Northern Ontario social sector is leading many technological innovations with the establishment of a telemedicine project, a radiology initiative, and a northern electronic record system. New medical schools in Ontario and British Columbia are training Northerners to practice medicine in the North giving them an opportunity to study close to home.

Manitoba plans to build a new University College of the North (UCN) campus. UCN’s Thompson campus will be a major northern delivery centre for nursing, business management, business administration and human resources programs. The new campus will be designed to accommodate expansion of trades training and program delivery and research capacity for Aboriginal and northern studies. UCN plans to offer bachelor’s degrees in science and education in addition to the baccalaureate of nursing and Bachelor of Arts in Aboriginal and northern studies degrees currently available.

These are only some of the initiatives existing in the North that give residents access to leading health, education and research services.