FirstMile – A place to share best practices and lessons learned

FIRST MILE DEVELOPMENTS

Across Canada, First Nations are building broadband systems and using them to deliver services in their communities. Outside of major centres, many remote and rural First Nations remain underserved. The experiences of the early adopters of these tools and systems help create new opportunities for those starting their first mile broadband connectivity journey. The First Mile website is a place to share best practices and lessons learned. Together we are conducting research and publishing the stories of how First Nations are putting First Mile concepts into action so that we may learn and grow together.

Publications

Sharing our research results through publications has been a major focus of our work since our collaborative partnership began in 2004.

Research

The First Nations Innovation Research Project is Researching and Celebrating Achievements with Information and Communications Technologies

Communities

These community stories showcase innovative uses of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) by First Nations communities across Canada.

Policy

The FMCC is engaged in digital policy development with federal, provincial/territorial and First Nations governments.

Twitter

Tweets by @FirstMileTeam

The 'First Mile' refers to local broadband systems: infrastructure and networks.

You are invited to explore and contribute.

The First Mile focuses on local connectivity from the perspective of a community. Across Canada, First Nations are building broadband systems and using them to deliver services in their communities. To be effective, these systems must be designed and implemented with local communities from the very start. Community members need access to bandwidth and proper training. They can help shape technologies to meet local needs.

Testimonials

“There’s good and bad. Like people, at first, would visit each other and help each other. When they didn’t have phones they would go to their houses and communicate and help that person out anyway and just visit. And then when phones came around, they just pick up the phone and just talk on the phone.”

Community Member

Fort Severn

“We didn’t know if it was affordable. It seemed overwhelming — 2-way cable TV, a local TV channel — but we thought we could handle it because it offered us new avenues.”

Raymond Menarick

Ginwat-Cable TV President and General Manager

“Like Facebook… if one of their sisters are out of town, but then she needs comfort or talking, then they can just talk to each other on Facebook.”

Community Member

Fort Severn

LET’S SOCIALIZE!

Share your story with us!