Ottawa, ON, Traditional Unceded Algonquin Territory - Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
The strength, knowledge, and priorities of Northern Indigenous communities are charting the path toward stronger local food systems.Today, the Honourable Rebecca Chartrand, Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, announced that nine Indigenous-led projects will receive over $2 million in funding as part of the second phase of Nutrition North Canada's Food Security Research Grant to conduct research on food security and food access inequality in isolated northern communities.
These research projects will look at ways to make healthy food affordable and accessible in northern communities. They will examine how food is shipped, owned, and sold, how these systems affect food quality, availability, and cost, and consider how hunting, fishing, and local sharing systems can help improve access to both traditional foods and store‑bought foods.
These grants are in addition to the $30 million in top-up funding announced last month for Nutrition North Canada, to make nutritious food and essential items more affordable in 124 isolated northern communities by subsidizing the cost of shipping.
Today's announcement was made at the Nutrition North Canada Food Sovereignty Summit convened with the support of Food Banks Canada. The Summit is bringing together Indigenous leaders, community representatives, non-profits, industry partners, researchers, and federal partners to look at issues of northern and Indigenous food sovereignty and to work together to find practical recommendations to strengthen food systems.
Discussions at this event are part of the Government of Canada's engagement with leadership, communities, and organizations across the North-and these important discussions are informing actionable plans to improve northern food ecosystems and economies.
