Research publications

Broadband Internet access supports Indigenous self-determination by enabling communities to address priorities, improving access to programs and services, supporting economic participation and contributing to the revitalization of Indigenous languages and cultures. However, many Indigenous communities do not have access to reliable, affordable broadband Internet. Indigenous organizations, such as the Assembly of First Nations and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, have highlighted the importance of broadband Internet access in Indigenous communities for several years. This HillNote provides information on the availability of broadband Internet and its importance for Indigenous communities.

Given the growing frequency and intensity of severe weather events around the world, like hurricanes, wildfires, floods and violent storms, households have had to make increasingly costly home insurance claims. Canada has not been spared; it even saw a record year for damages in 2024, caused particularly by flooding in Quebec and Ontario, and by wildfires and a hailstorm in Alberta. Consequently, insurers in Canada and abroad have raised premiums, tightened underwriting standards or withdrawn from high-risk areas. This has led to rising costs for home insurance that has become less accessible – especially for households living in areas prone to such disasters – and rising uninsured losses.