Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement – Connectivity Transformation
Challenge
Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement (BLMS), spanning nearly 400 km², faced major barriers to reliable internet. Low population density made fiber uneconomical, while satellite and mobile services were costly, unreliable, and suffered from high latency. Residents struggled with limited education, healthcare, and business opportunities without affordable broadband.
Solution
With funding support from the Government of Canada’s Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) and access to licensed UHF spectrum from ISED, Advanced Interactive Canada deployed the Sectorial WiDOX system.
- Fiber backhaul was extended to a WiDOX base station.
- Eight panel antennas were installed, covering over 1,000 km².
- Local residents were trained as installers, ensuring community ownership and capacity building.
- Commercial-grade cable modems with built-in WiFi and VoIP were deployed to households.
Impact
- Over 1,000 households across Buffalo Lake now have affordable high-speed internet (200 Mbps down / 10 Mbps up, <30 ms latency).
- Essential services like the fire hall, water treatment plant, and local businesses were connected.
- Youth gained access to remote learning, adults to telehealth and remote work, and elders to family connections through video calls.
- The project empowered the community with jobs and technical skills, while ensuring long-term data sovereignty.
