How are we working together?
First Nations Health Authority
The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) and the Ministry of Citizens’ Services (CITZ) work in partnership, through a Memorandum of Understanding, to expand high speed internet access and strengthen digital services in First Nations communities across B.C. This collaboration supports health and wellness outcomes, information sharing, coordinated action and improved community resilience and quality of life.
Connectivity is foundational to accessing health and wellness services, including primary care, mental health, e health and traditional healing. In 2024, the partnership was strengthened through a contribution funding arrangement focused on expanding connectivity in underserved First Nations communities.
Since April 2025, FNHA funding has supported eight agreements with service providers to deliver connectivity projects in First Nations communities, advancing First Nations led health and wellness priorities through improved digital infrastructure.
First Nations Technology Council
The Connectivity Division within CITZ has actively supported First Nations Technology Council led research by contributing provincial connectivity data, analysis and insights to inform Indigenous led digital equity work. This includes direct collaboration on the Indigenous Digital Enablement Series, which examines connectivity access, affordability, spectrum and digital skills gaps across First Nations communities.
This work reflects a broader understanding that Action 4.36 is not limited to physical broadband infrastructure alone. By examining affordability, reliability, and digital skills, the Indigenous Digital Enablement Series recognizes that access must be usable, reliable and affordable, and that communities require the skills and capacity to fully benefit from high speed internet.
Coastal First Nations
CITZ and Coastal First Nations (CFN) have established a sustained, government to government partnership that positions connectivity and digital capacity as foundational enablers of Declaration Act Action Plan implementation, particularly Action 4.36.
CITZ is formally included in the CFN–BC Regional Accord, which under the Accord, connectivity infrastructure and digital capacity are explicitly identified as core elements of regional economic revitalization, and foundational to other Accord priorities, including emergency response, health, stewardship, education and small business development.
Are there challenges?
There are several programmatic risks to achieving the 2027 connectivity targets:
- Environmental Disruptions: Build cycles are vulnerable to delays caused by emergencies and extreme weather, particularly in wildfire- and flood-prone areas.
- Technology Limitations: Some remote homes may only be serviceable through solutions like Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites.
Highlights
As of January 2026, approximately 88 percent of homes on First Nations reserves and Treaty Lands have access to high-speed internet, with coverage expected to exceed 96 percent once all approved projects are completed. Additional projects are still being approved, which will further improve these numbers.
Previous years’ progress
Highlights
As of January 2025, 83% of homes on First Nation reserves have access to high-speed internet services. When all current projects are complete, that figure will rise to nearly 96%. As more projects are received and assessed through the Connecting Communities BC program, this figure will increase until all homes have access to high-speed internet services.
How are we working together?
Access to reliable high-speed internet and cellular connectivity is more important than ever before. From healthcare and education to public safety and economic growth, internet access plays a vital role in our daily lives.
The Ministry of Citizens’ Services collaborates with all levels of government, including First Nations and First Nation organizations, to support projects and funding that expand connectivity in underserved First Nation reserves and Modern Treaty Nation lands. Working together, we are making steady progress. In 2017, 66% of households on First Nation reserves had access to high-speed internet services. As of January 2025, that number has increased to approximately 83%, with an additional 13% expected to be connected when projects in progress are completed.
Are there challenges?
There are overall programmatic risks to meeting the 2027 targets for several reasons including:
- Accurate Data — there is a need for comprehensive and up-to-date data on the number, locations, and addresses of homes in First Nations communities to assist in ensuring all homes have access to high-speed internet;
- Technology solutions (i.e., Low Earth Orbit satellite services for the final homes that are cost prohibitive to serve with a terrestrial build);
- Disruption in build cycles due to emergency and weather conditions (i.e., many underserved communities are in high-risk wildfire and flood areas); and
- The sheer volume of complex permitting and consultations which are a major time component for connectivity projects to complete (i.e., land tenure applications, utility poles, etc.).
Highlights
As of January 2024, 80% of homes on First Nation reserves and Modern Treaty Nation lands have access to high-speed internet services. When all current projects are complete, that figure will rise to 91.7%. As more projects are received and assessed through the Connecting Communities BC program, this figure will increase until all homes have access to high-speed internet services.
Highlights include funding for a project led by service provider CityWest in Lax Kw’alaams in the north to bring high-speed internet to more than 340 homes, and a Telus project to bring internet access to more than 850 households in 11 First Nations communities between Yale and Ruby Creek in the Fraser Valley.
The project built new internet infrastructure to serve residents in the communities of Dogwood Valley, Squeah and Yale, as well as the First Nations communities of Yale First Nation (Yale Town 1, Albert Flat 5, Lukseetsissum 9 and Stullawheets 8), Chawathil First Nation (Chawathil 4 and Schkam 2) and Sq’ewá:lxw (Skawahlook) First Nation (Skawahlook 1 and Ruby Creek 2).
How are we working together?
First Nations Health Authority
The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) and the Ministry of Citizens’ Services share a mutual interest in accelerating high-speed connectivity access and digital optimization in First Nations across the province to strengthen community resiliency and improve quality of life. Through a memorandum of understanding, the organizations agree to mutual collaboration, support, and information sharing. By combining strengths, focus and energies to bring connectivity to rural and remote First Nation communities, support First Nations-led health and wellness initiatives will increase, as connectivity is foundational for access to programs for health promotion and disease prevention, such as primary care, mental health, e-health and traditional wellness.
Coastal First Nations
Connectivity plays an integral role in the new Coastal First Nations-BC Reconciliation Framework Agreement as human well-being and increased quality of life benefits are realized through significantly improved communications and enhanced delivery of digital services and technologies throughout the North Pacific Coast. Regional connectivity is foundational for the overall success of this agreement and the Declaration Act Action Plan – digital equity and enablement leads to greater governance capability, land and marine stewardship, access to educational and small business opportunities, blue economy development, health solutions deployment, and cultural wellbeing through language preservation.
First Nations Technology Council
The Province has provided the First Nations Technology Council with a grant of $1.5 million for the council to support Declaration Act Action Plan Implementation through education, engagement, and research across identified strategic priority areas of digital equity including spectrum, digital skills and digital literacy, employment and business development, partnerships, relationships and capacity building.
Are there challenges?
There are overall programmatic risks to meeting the 2027 targets for a number of reasons including:
- Technology solutions i.e., Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite services for the final homes that are cost prohibitive to serve with a terrestrial build;
- Disruption in build cycles due to emergency and weather conditions i.e., many underserved communities are in high-risk wildfire and flood areas; and
- The sheer volume of complex permitting and consultations, which are a major time component for connectivity projects to complete i.e., land tenure applications, access to BC Parks, etc.
Highlights
On March 8, 2022, the Governments of British Columbia and Canada announced an agreement to invest up to $830 million ($415 million each) to support expanding broadband infrastructure in the Province. The funding commitment will help reach more communities in B.C. with more high-speed internet services than ever before. This program will help fund the infrastructure that will ensure every community has the connectivity needed to fully participate in the economy, individuals and families have access to the services they need when they need them and builds the foundation to support meaningful reconciliation.
The commitment to support expansion of high-speed internet services to all households by 2027 aims to help level the playing field for everyone in British Columbia, closing the digital divide and ensuring rural and Indigenous communities have better access to jobs, education, training, health care and new, diversified economic opportunities.
Indicators
As of January 2023, 76 per cent of households on First Nation reserves and Modern Treaty Nation lands had access to high-speed internet services.
Implementation project underway: The second intake of the Connecting Communities BC program (CCBC) closed on February 16, 2023. The Connectivity Division assesses applications on an ongoing basis and will be completing an analysis of remaining under-served homes with the federal government in anticipation of future intakes.
How are we working together?
Engagement with partners such as the First Nations Health Authority and First Nations Technology Council is underway. Direct First Nation community engagement is ongoing to gather feedback on accuracy of connectivity infrastructure data and the current state and availability of digital services.
Are there challenges?
There are overall program challenges to meeting the 2027 targets for a number of reasons including:
- Disruption in build cycles due to emergency and weather conditions i.e., many underserved communities are in high-risk wildfire and tsunami areas; and
- The sheer volume of complex permitting and consultations which are a major time component for connectivity projects to complete.