About Nuvitik subsea cable fibre provider
Our Profile
Nuvitik specialises in subsea fibre-optic cable internet service provider (ISP) operations and aims to serve the communities of Canada’s North with a reliable, high-speed, affordable internet and telecommunications provision. The Inuktitut word ‘Nuvitik’ is the ‘harness’ that will power and connect communities.
Our Mission
Nuvitik’s mission is to bring a telecommunications infrastructure to Canada’s North, building a bridge to the South. This extends to coastal communities of Labrador, Nunavik, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. Highly respectful of local culture, traditions and heritage, Nuvitik’s operations will have minimal impact on the region’s fragile ecosystems, lands and marine environments.
Increased activities in the Arctic demand a communications infrastructure that provides fast data rates, low latency, guaranteed uptime, consistency and continuity of service. In this context, the people, governments, industries, organizations, scientific, research and other interest groups in the Arctic expect the same level of broadband service as other regions in Canada, if not better.
Our Strategy
Our three strategic objectives in the Arctic over the next ten years are:
Improving Innovation:
With the installation of a fibre cable broadband network, Nuvitik aims to break down the barriers that currently exist in Arctic information system capabilities. Partnerships with regional governments and close collaboration with landholding corporations and stakeholders will provide the means to enhance integration, innovation and fielding of emerging technologies. Government, authorities, health facilities, schools and colleges, industry, mines, tourism, scientific and research institutes and individuals will benefit on many levels.
Modernising Governance:
The concept of governance involves institutions, structures of authority and capabilities necessary to oversee authorities, industry, public services, transportation and leisure in the region. Nuvitik will work to foster collective efforts to improve Arctic governance via improved communication, streamlined process and practices and data management.
Broadening Partnerships:
Success in the Arctic requires a collective effort across both the public and private sectors. Such a collective effort must be inclusive of partnerships with regional governments, consultation with authorities, landholding corporations, collaborative forums such as the Arctic Council and Inuit Circumpolar Council; domestic partnerships; local engagements in Arctic communities focusing on education, training and job creation; and close intergovernmental co-operation to support national interests.
Beyond these three strategic objectives, there are a number of additional factors that will position Nuvitik for long-term success. These factors include
- collaborating with governments, agencies and regional authorities to achieve shared goals
- building national awareness of the Arctic and its opportunities
- identifying future requirements and resources to shape trends favourably
- delivering capabilities and requirements to facilitate advances in science and technology
- providing the means by which businesses can continue to build on Canada’s success in the region
- leverage the entire enterprise and component capabilities to assist in securing our borders, preventing terrorism and cyber-terrorism
- operating responsibly in the region, fostering awareness and respect of its ecosystems
- adapting to changing community needs and environmental conditions.
The Arctic Region
The Arctic is a region of outstanding natural beauty and highly complicated interests and governance structures. Sovereign and industrial activities will continue to evolve around access to an abundance of resources. These resources include an estimated 13% of the world’s undiscovered oil, 30% of undiscovered gas and $1 trillion worth of minerals including gold, zinc, palladium, nickel, platinum, lead, rare-earth minerals and diamonds.
The region’s potential for economic growth and development is attracting new business. In 2012, over one million tons of cargo transited an Arctic route and an increasing interest in adventure and eco-tourism has resulted in 1,000 visitors to the North Pole annually. These factors are becoming more pronounced through the dynamics of climate change where a gradual reduction in sea ice is prolonging the season of open water.
The harsh operating environment, geographic spread, lack of roads and vast distances from major hubs make Arctic life challenging. Some communities have cellular phone networks, but with limited coverage, capacity and reliability. The Arctic region is known for poor propagation of radio signals, geomagnetic interference and limited satellite coverage and bandwidth. Community satellite provision is currently heavily subsidised by the Government of Canada. Satellite internet services are slow, unreliable, capped and, compared with the rest of Canada, extremely expensive.
With a growing young population and increased economic development, demand for high-speed internet will soon outstrip satellite supply. It is widely agreed that the Arctic requires a robust, reliable, scalable, fibre infrastructure, as well as advanced information technology capabilities, in order to meet current and future needs.
