Ottawa strengthens food security in Northern communities

Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food,  Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced support for up to 79 new projects across Canada that promote food security in Indigenous, remote and Northern communities under the fourth phase of the Local Food Infrastructure Fund (LFIF)

These community-led projects aim to have an immediate and long-lasting impact on food systems in communities that are experiencing the highest food insecurity, by improving processing, production and distribution capacity at the local level.

In total, up to $19.5 million will be invested, with between $100,000 and $500,000 per project. Of the 79 projects announced today, 56 are Indigenous-led, totaling up to $15.1 million.

“Indigenous, remote and Northern communities are particularly vulnerable because of the higher cost of living and other geographic, social and economic factors” 

“Indigenous, remote and Northern communities are particularly vulnerable because of the higher cost of living and other geographic, social and economic factors,” state Bibeau. “With these challenges, it is more important than ever to support food systems in these communities in the long term.”

In Morley, Alberta, for example, Stoney Nakoda Nations will receive up to $216,593 to purchase mobile food preparation equipment and infrastructure for raising chickens, gardening and fishing. This project will allow the community to create workshops to teach members about traditional food preparation and food waste reduction.

In Quesnel, British Columbia, Nazko First Nation will receive up to $260,746 to purchase a new greenhouse and canning equipment, create new garden beds, and install a new community kitchen and an outdoor smokehouse. This project will enhance community food production and serve as a teaching space for community members to learn traditional preservation methods to pass on for generations.

The Government of Canada is committed to working with local organizations to provide communities with access to tools that help them meet the immediate and growing needs of people experiencing food insecurity in Canada.