Government of Canada announces additional changes to Nutrition North Canada

From: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

News release

August 21, 2019 — Cambridge Bay, NU — Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

The Government of Canada is ensuring Northern Policy is developed by Northerners and for Northerners. As part of its response to the concerns and realities of Northerners, Yvonne Jones, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Intergovernmental and Northern Affairs and Internal Trade and Member of Parliament for Labrador, today announced important improvements to the Nutrition North Canada program on behalf of the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations.

These changes include:

  • expanding the list of eligible non-perishable items which are subsidized to include those transported via sealift, barge, or winter road, as well as family-friendly items such as macaroni, flour and diapers. 
  • the addition of feminine hygiene products to the Nutrition North Canada eligibility list to make these products more accessible and affordable and help the health and well-being of women and girls in isolated Northern communities.

The Government of Canada is also establishing a Northern-based compliance and audit review committee in the coming months to improve transparency and accountability by providing Northern representatives and firms the opportunity to participate in the review of the audit reports.

Today's announcement builds on a series of improvements that our government has made to the Nutrition North Canada Program since 2015. These have included:

  • expanding the program in 2016 to include all isolated northern communities and launched consultations to change the program.
  • committing to introducing a Harvesters Support Grant to help lower the high costs associated with traditional hunting and harvesting activities, and we have continued to work on this initiative with our partners.
  • implementing accountability measures including the point-of-sale system so customers can clearly see subsidy savings for eligible food items on their receipts as well as updating program eligibility criteria to ensure that only establishments that serve the residents of isolated northern communities are eligible.
  • investing over $127 million to expand Nutrition North Canada to include all isolated northern communities, support program changes including new subsidy levels and introduce the Harvesters Support Grant.

The improvements we have made to Nutrition North Canada are directly informed by feedback from our partners. We continue to listen to Northerners to ensure they have consistent access to healthy, affordable food.

Quotes

"Since 2016, we have listened to Northerners, and their feedback has informed all our changes to the Nutrition North Canada program. We have expanded the program to all isolated Northern communities, increased its transparency, and we are working to create a Harvesters Support Grant. We are proud of the actions taken, and today we are excited to announce further improvements to Nutrition North Canada. We thank all our partners whose input has been vital to this process, and we will continue to work with you to ensure that Northerners have access to healthy, affordable food."

The Honourable Carolyn Bennett, M.D., P.C., M.P.
Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations

"Northerners told us that they want greater savings on healthy foods that are targeted at supporting healthy families. The new subsidy on eligible items delivered by surface transportation as well as the addition of feminine hygiene products reflects what we heard from Northerners. Together, we will continue to explore solutions developed by Northerners for Northerners to ensure the program is serving those who need it."

Yvonne Jones, M.P.
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Intergovernmental and Northern Affairs and Internal Trade

"The Nutrition North Canada Advisory Board recognizes and appreciates that the needs of Northerners continue to be addressed through these additional improvements to the NNC program. Once again, based on the feedback we heard from Northerners, the introduction of a new subsidy for certain staple goods transported by winter roads and sealift will provide additional and needed financial relief to the families in the Nutrition North Canada service area."

Nellie Cournoyea
Nutrition North Canada Advisory Board Chair

Quick facts

  • In 2016, the Government engaged with Northerners, Indigenous organizations, , provincial and territorial governments and key partners to understand how Nutrition North Canada could become more transparent, cost-effective, and culturally appropriate.

  • Budget 2016 provided an additional $64.5 million over five years and $13.8 million per year ongoing to expand Nutrition North Canada to support all northern isolated communities.

  • On October 1, 2016, as part of a Budget 2016, the Nutrition North Canada program expanded to an additional 37 isolated northern communities.

  • On December 10, 2018, the Government announced a series of improvements to the Nutrition North Canada including a new fully revised subsidized foods list; a new highest-level subsidy rate specifically for milk, frozen fruit, frozen vegetables, infant formula, and infant food; and an increase to the two current subsidy rates to help further lower cost of perishable, nutritious food.

  • The 2018 Fall Economic Statement announced an additional $62.6 million investment over five years starting in 2019–20, with $10.4 million ongoing, in the Nutrition North Canada program to support program changes and introduce a Harvesters Support Grant.

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Contacts

For more information, media may contact:

Matthew Dillon-Leitch
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Carolyn Bennett
Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations
819-997-0002

Media Relations
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
819-934-2302
RCAANC.media.CIRNAC@canada.ca

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