--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/research/an-improved-connectivity-component-for-an-infrastructure-index-for-remote-indigenous-communities/" title: "An Improved Connectivity Component for an Infrastructure Index for Remote Indigenous Communities" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-02T10:39:37+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-02T10:39:37+00:00" post_type: "research" summary: "" post_tag: - "broadband connectivity" - "broadband speed" - "digital divide" - "Indigenous communities" - "infrastructure index" - "northern Canada" - "remote communities" country_focus: - "Canada" province_region: - "National" research_theme: - "Indigenous Economic Development" - "Technology and Innovation" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/old-reports_hero_banner_bg.webp" status: "publish" --- # An Improved Connectivity Component for an Infrastructure Index for Remote Indigenous Communities Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/research/an-improved-connectivity-component-for-an-infrastructure-index-for-remote-indigenous-communities/ # An Improved Connectivity Component for an Infrastructure Index for Remote Indigenous Communities [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2019-05-1.pdf) Cite this report × Cite this report as: Kim, Myeongwan, James Ashwell, Nicole Johnston, and Sebastian Tansil. 2019. “An Improved Connectivity Component for an Infrastructure Index for Remote Indigenous Communities.” CSLS Research Report 2019-05. Ottawa: Centre for the Study of Living Standards. https://csls.ca/research/an-improved-connectivity-component-for-an-infrastructure-index-for-remote-indigenous-communities/ ## Authors: - Myeongwan Kim Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) - James Ashwell Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) - Nicole Johnston Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) - Sebastian Tansil Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) ## Report 2019-05 August 2019 19 pages ## Related research [Indigenous Recruitment, Retention and Community Outreach in the Canadian Natural Resource Sector Nicole Johnston, James Ashwell August 2018 | Report 2018-01 | 47 pages](https://csls.ca/research/indigenous-recruitment-retention-and-community-outreach-in-the-canadian-natural-resource-sector/) [An Infrastructure Index for Remote Indigenous Communities Nicole Johnston, Andrew Sharpe August 2019 | Report 2019-04 | 39 pages](https://csls.ca/research/an-infrastructure-index-for-remote-indigenous-communities/) [Closing the First Nations Education Gap in Canada: Assessing Progress and Estimating the Economic Benefits — An Update Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) February 2023 | Report 2023-01 | 101 pages](https://csls.ca/research/closing-the-first-nations-education-gap-in-canada-assessing-progress-and-estimating-the-economic-benefits-an-update-2023-01/) [Indicators of Innovation in Canadian Natural Resource Industries Andrew Sharpe, Olivier Guilbaud May 2005 | Report 2005-03 | 52 pages](https://csls.ca/research/indicators-of-innovation-in-canadian-natural-resource-industries/) [The Diffusion and Adoption of Advanced Technologies in Canada: An Overview of the Issues Andrew Sharpe December 2005 | Report 2005-05 | 23 pages](https://csls.ca/research/the-diffusion-and-adoption-of-advanced-technologies-in-canada-an-overview-of-the-issues/) [What Explains the Canada-US ICT Investment Intensity Gap? 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The report included discussion of the rationale and methodology for the index and estimates for the index for 236 remote communities (200 Indigenous and 36 nonIndigenous) with breakdowns by jurisdiction (province/territory) and heritage group. The Index itself consisted of seven components of infrastructure (broadband, transportation, energy, health, education, water and housing) and 15 separate indicators. A database of over 3,450 data points was constructed with publically available information. One weakness identified with the index was the broadband indicator, which focused on the availability of broadband, not its quality in remote Indigenous communities. INAC (now CIRNAC) was interested in addressing this weakness and commissioned the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) to develop a new broadband indicator. In this report, we develop a new index for broadband connectivity, incorporating two key factors that determine the quality of broadband services in Indigenous communities in remote regions: speed and capacity. En mars 2018, un rapport intitulé « An Infrastructure Index for Remote Indigenous Communities » a été remis à AINC. Ce rapport présentait la justification et la méthodologie de l’indice, ainsi que des estimations pour 236 communautés éloignées (200 autochtones et 36 non autochtones), ventilées par administration (province ou territoire) et par groupe d’origine. L’indice lui-même comprenait sept composantes d’infrastructure (haut débit, transport, énergie, santé, éducation, eau et logement) et 15 indicateurs distincts. Une base de données de plus de 3 450 points de données a été constituée à partir de renseignements accessibles au public. L’une des faiblesses relevées concernant l’indice était l’indicateur du haut débit, qui portait sur la disponibilité du service plutôt que sur sa qualité dans les communautés autochtones éloignées. AINC (aujourd’hui RCAANC) souhaitait remédier à cette faiblesse et a mandaté le Centre d’étude des niveaux de vie (CSLS) pour élaborer un nouvel indicateur de connectivité à large bande. Dans ce rapport, nous élaborons un nouvel indice de connectivité à large bande, intégrant deux facteurs clés qui déterminent la qualité des services à large bande dans les communautés autochtones des régions éloignées : la vitesse et la capacité. [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2019-05-1.pdf)