DRFN breaks ground on high-speed fibre internet

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — On August 7th, on a breathtaking sunny day, Doig River First Nation (DRFN) held a groundbreaking for fibre internet alongside partners, sponsors, children, and Nation members.

Fibre internet is a cable internet system using fibre optic cables transmitting light from end to end.

According to DRFN Chief Trevor Makadahay, the infrastructure will upgrade household internet access from 10 megabytes per second to 1 gigabyte per second, helping DRFN’s culture grow.

He says members who live off-reserve will now have the opportunity to participate in actions going on within DRFN.

“We can share our culture and our language,” said Makadahay. “I think the best thing for our Nation is this brings us into business at the speed of light.”

“Our nation has grown immensely in the last decade. When COVID hit, it stopped a lot of people.  But it opened up [programs like] ZOOM and [Microsoft] TEAMs. Now we can virtually meet with anyone.”  

“You may need to do face-to-face meetings for signings and other important work, but this has brought our Nation into an era that we haven’t been in.”

“We’ve had a few off-reserve band members who weren’t able to attend band meetings and say, ‘I don’t know what’s going on. We never get to hear anything,’ but now, they’re online and participating in meetings from all across Canada.”

The provincial and federal governments, All Nations Trust Company’s ‘Pathways to Technology’ program, and National Development Initiative Trust and Telus all contributed part of the $19.2 million price tag, which is part of the Chetwynd Corridor project.

Another advantage for the Fibre network is that it may provide an incentive for off-reserve members to return home, says Darren Ketlo.

Ketlo is with Indigenous Relations for Northern BC communities for Telus and a member of Nadleh Whut’en First Nation of Fort Fraser.  

Having left home to pursue other opportunities, with the installation of fibre internet throughout his home territory, he expressed to attendees at the DRFN Arbour he’s exploring returning.

He says fibre optic speed upon the project’s completion will be comparable to Vancouver’s.

“What these projects do now is they put these communities on the same playing field,” Ketlo said. “Instead of chasing the big city lights, you can return to your home community and still be completely able to participate in the world economy, the world stage, and any other reason you would utilize connectivity.”

“I’m hoping these projects will result in members returning to their communities and building those communities up from within.”

The day concluded with tours of the nation to show partners just how the infrastructure upgrade will affect community members, and a backpack giveaway made possible by Telus’ ‘Kits for Kids’ program.