Through the Net Good Grants program, CIRA has supported rural, remote, northern and Indigenous communities as they build stronger digital futures. We also recognize that digital divides exist everywhere—large cities and small towns, across regions and demographics—shaped by differences in affordability, skills, online safety, policy influence and access to reliable infrastructure.
That’s why CIRA is continuing to invest in three core areas that shape Canada’s digital landscape: infrastructure, internet policy and online safety, while welcoming proposals from any community working to close one or more of these divides. Below are communities that have addressed these challenges, who may inspire you to see if your community has a project that could do the same.
The infrastructure divide – building reliable, community-led connectivity
Across Canada, too many communities still lack affordable, high-quality internet that meets their needs. For some, the challenge is physical—outdated or missing broadband infrastructure. For others, it’s structural—dependence on a single provider, limited local capacity, or monthly costs that put reliable service out of reach.
CIRA sees the infrastructure divide as the gap between Canadians who can access dependable, affordable, high-speed internet and those who cannot. While this divide is often most visible in remote and rural regions, it also affects people in and around urban centres. Some households not far beyond downtown cores struggle to access reliable, high-quality service. Affordability pressures, unstable housing and limited income can further undermine connectivity, making internet access inconsistent or out of reach.
Why infrastructure matters
Connectivity isn’t only about towers, fibre, or hardware. It’s also about local agency—the ability to shape, manage and sustain the systems communities rely on. Community-owned or locally governed approaches can strengthen resilience, build local capacity and create longer-term pathways to affordability and expansion.
How communities are leading infrastructure projects
Onion Lake Cree Nation reduced their reliability divide—frequent disruptions that slowed essential services—by relocating its network hub, installing a 96-foot tower, and laying fibre to connect key buildings. The approach was effective because local teams delivered the build while training community members, with staff reporting smoother daily operations with far fewer service interruptions.
In British Columbia’s Fraser Valley, the Leq’a:mel closed a stability and speed divide that had left the community coping with outages and slow service. They installed fibre optic cable along Highway 7 and upgraded network hardware, while laying groundwork to operate as a local ISP. It worked because the project improved day-to-day connectivity and directly enabled new economic activity.
Nunavut Arctic College addressed an on-campus access divide that limited students’ ability to use online academic resources by deploying upgraded wireless infrastructure with Low Earth Orbit connectivity across five Community Learning Centres. It was effective because the upgrade delivered markedly faster access (reported at 200–500/50 Mbps) and included training and support for local IT staff to maintain and troubleshoot the network.
The internet policy divide – ensuring communities have a voice in how the internet works
Digital participation isn’t only about getting online – it’s also about having a say in the rules, investments and systems that determine affordability, privacy, data governance, online rights and public funding priorities. Too often, the communities most affected by digital divides face barriers to participating in policy processes.
CIRA sees the policy engagement divide as the gap between people who rely on the internet and those who have the resources, access and capacity to influence how it is governed. This isn’t a lack of interest; it’s often a lack of time, funding, staffing, travel support or pathways into consultations and governance forums.
Why policy engagement matters
When communities can bring lived experience and evidence into decision-making, policy becomes more practical, more responsive and better aligned with real-world needs. Without that participation, policy can unintentionally reinforce divides in affordability, access and safety.
How communities are leading policy engagement projects
The Youth IGF closed a representation divide—youth being under-included in internet governance—by convening Canada’s first and second Youth IGF and bringing together participants from across the country to engage on issues like broadband access and online harms. It was effective because travel bursaries enabled participation from every province and territory, and the forum led to continued engagement in the following years.
OpenMedia and the Indigenous Connectivity Institute reduced a capacity-and-access divide by training Indigenous youth through virtual workshops and an Ottawa visit that included meetings with federal decision-makers. It worked because participants translated lived experiences into direct engagement, making policy processes more navigable and strengthening confidence to show up where decisions are made.
FNTC addressed a data and influence divide by shifting from a single broad strategy to a community-driven series of practical research products (reports, infographics and videos) that Nations could use in their own advocacy. It was effective because the first report gave communities concrete numbers they used to strengthen broadband funding applications and helped push for upgrades and accountability from providers.
The online safety divide – ensuring everyone can navigate the internet safely and confidently
Even where access and participation improve, many people still face barriers to safe internet use. Online risks—misinformation, cyberbullying, privacy threats, fraud, hate and exploitation—are not experienced equally. Youth, seniors, women, newcomers, people with lower incomes and racialized communities can face disproportionate exposure to online harms.
CIRA sees the online safety divide as the gap between those who have the knowledge, skills and support to navigate digital spaces safely—and those who do not. This divide shows up most clearly where digital literacy supports are limited, confidence is low or people are targeted by scams and harassment without accessible help.
Why online safety matters
When people don’t feel safe online, they’re less likely to use essential digital services, apply for jobs, pursue education or participate in civic life. Online safety supports make connectivity usable, not just available, helping people protect their information, recognize manipulation and recover from harm.
How communities are leading online safety projects
JA Canada reduced an online scam-awareness divide for youth—especially in rural and Northern contexts—by creating a three-part digital learning series that taught students how to spot phishing and other common scams. It worked because the lessons were built from real-world scenarios and were delivered through an open-access platform, reaching more students than planned and increasing reported confidence in recognizing scams and protecting personal information.
KnowledgeFlow reduced both an online-risk knowledge divide and an awareness divide about cybersecurity pathways by piloting an interactive program for Grades 9–12 on safer digital behaviours, including recognizing scams and cyberbullying, while introducing career routes in cybersecurity. It was effective because it scaled through community partnerships, and participants reported increased awareness of pathways into cybersecurity and stronger confidence in protecting themselves online.
Cyberbalado addressed an online safety knowledge-and-confidence divide in francophone school communities, where many students faced real online risks and teachers often lacked the time or resources to teach cybersecurity beyond the basics. It was effective because students co-created and hosted podcasts after researching topics like phishing, passwords, misinformation and digital citizenship, an approach that shifted them from passive learners to active explainers and led to real behavior changes.
Looking ahead
Across the country, communities are showing that closing digital divides works best when solutions are community-designed, locally delivered and grounded in the realities people face. Whether strengthening infrastructure, building policy participation, or improving online safety skills, these efforts demonstrate that lasting progress grows from community leadership.
If your organization is working to close one or more of Canada’s digital divides, we encourage you to explore the Net Good Grants program and apply during the 2026 intake. Your project could help make Canada’s internet safer, more accessible and more reliable so more people can benefit from everything online connection makes possible.
