Horizontal initiative
Horizontal initiative: Nutrition North Canada
Lead department: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs (CIRNAC)
Federal partner organizations: Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)
Start date: April 1, 2011
End date: Ongoing
Description: The objective of Nutrition North Canada (NNC) is to help make perishable, nutritious food more accessible and more affordable than it otherwise would be to residents of eligible isolated northern communities without year-round surface (road, rail or marine) access.
Registered retailers in the North, country food processors/distributors located in eligible communities, and food suppliers can apply for a subsidy based on the weight of eligible foods shipped by air to eligible northern communities. These subsidies are to be passed on to northern consumers by appropriate reductions in the selling prices of eligible foods. The NNC program — National Manual governs the terms of the funding agreements with CIRNAC's subsidy recipients.
Given that there are a number of factors that influence healthy eating patterns other than food cost, ISC and PHAC complement the NNC retail subsidy by providing funding to support culturally-appropriate retail and community-based nutrition education initiatives. These initiatives aim to increase knowledge of healthy eating and develop skills for the selection and preparation of healthy store-bought and traditional or country foods.
Governance structures: The NNC Advisory Board gives Northerners a direct voice in the Program. The Board provides information and advice to the Minister of Northern Affairs to help guide the direction and activities of the Program, and to ensure that northern residents receive its full benefits. Members of the Board collectively represent the perspectives and interests of northern residents and communities in relation to the management and effectiveness of the Program. Members serve in their own right, as volunteers and not as representatives of any particular organization, area or special interest. Members are appointed to a 3-year term.
Total federal funding allocated (start to end date) (dollars):
CIRNAC: $782,291,844 (2011–12 to 2020–21)
ISC: $36,266,000 (2011–12 to 2020–21), $4,363,200 (ongoing)
PHAC: $1,975,000 (2016–17 to 2020–21), $385,000 (ongoing)
Total federal planned spending to date (dollars):
CIRNAC: $660,196,138
ISC: $27,539,600
PHAC: $1,071,000
Total federal actual spending to date (dollars):
CIRNAC: $639,595,526
ISC: $26,053,344
PHAC: $964,647
Date of last renewal of the horizontal initiative: September 29, 2016
Total federal funding allocated at the last renewal and source of funding (dollars):
CIRNAC: $183,007,062 (Budget 2016)
ISC: $7,266,000 and $1,463,200 ongoing (Budget 2016)
PHAC: $1,975,000 (Budget 2016)
Additional federal funding received after the last renewal (dollars): Not applicable
Total planned spending since the last renewal:
CIRNAC: $331,038,195
ISC: $13,039,600
PHAC: $1,071,000
Total actual spending since the last renewal:
CIRNAC: $310,437,582
ISC: $11,149,037
PHAC: $964,647
Fiscal year of planned completion of next evaluation: 2023–24
Planning highlights
CIRNAC: In 2020–21, CIRNAC will continue to update and expand NNC, and implement the changes announced in December 2018, and June 2019 to better address Northerners' needs. These changes include:
- a new Harvesters Support Grant
- subsidy rates increases and eligibility list changes to focus on items that matter to Northerners
- a subsidy for items transported via sealift, barge or winter road
The delivery and management of the Harvesters Support Grant, a priority for the department, will be co-developed with Indigenous partners and launched in spring 2020.
CIRNAC will continue to co-chair the Indigenous Working Group. CIRNAC will also continue to participate in the newly formed Inuit-Crown Food Security Working Group to work towards sustainable food systems in Inuit Nunangat and ensure that the unique interests, priorities and circumstances of Inuit are brought into federal food security programs and policies.
ISC: In 2020–21, ISC will fund and support the implementation of NNC nutrition education initiatives to all eligible First Nations and Inuit communities to increase knowledge of healthy eating and to develop skills in choosing and preparing healthy foods. In addition, ISC will work with CIRNAC and PHAC to support NNC overall, as appropriate.
PHAC: In 2020–21, PHAC will fund 10 projects to support culturally-appropriate retail and community-based nutrition education initiatives. The activities, developed and delivered by community-based organizations, are intended to complement the food retail subsidy by influencing healthy eating in isolated Northern communities. The aim of the nutrition education initiatives is to increase knowledge of healthy eating and develop skills for the selection and preparation of healthy store-bought and traditional or country foods.
Contact information:
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
Wayne Walsh
Director General, Northern Strategic Policy
Northern Affairs Organization
Telephone: 819-934-3171
Wayne.Walsh@canada.ca
Indigenous Services Canada
Mary Trifonopoulos
Senior Manager, Healthy Living, Population Health and Primary Care Directorate
First Nations and Inuit Health Branch
Telephone: 613-292-7518
Mary.Trifonopoulos@canada.ca
Public Health Agency of Canada
Kathleen Copp
Manager, Maternal and Child Health, Centre for Health Promotion
Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Branch
Telephone: 613-292-7058
Kathleen.Copp2@canada.ca
| Total federal funding allocated since the last renewal (dollars) | 2020−21 Planned spending (dollars) |
Horizontal initiative shared outcome(s) | Performance indicator(s) | Target(s) | Date to achieve target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CIRNAC: 183,007,062 ISC: 7,266,000 PHAC: 1,975,000 |
CIRNAC: 104,500,440 ISC: 4,363,200 PHAC: 385,000 |
Isolated Northern communities' nutritional choices and community health are strengthened | Percentage of population reporting their health is excellent or very good | At least 45% of adults report that their health is excellent or very good | March 31, 2021 |
| Quantity of subsidized foods (kg) per capita by each category | Stable or increasing from the 2011 baseline year | March 31, 2021 |
Nutrition North Initiative activities
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
Link to the program inventory: Nutrition North Canada
Activity: Nutrition North
2020–21 planned spending: $104,500,440
Total federal funding allocated to each activity since the last renewal: $183,007,062
| 2020–21 Activity expected result(s) | 2020–21 Activity performance indicator(s) | 2020–21 Activity target(s) |
Date to achieve activity target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability of perishable, nutritious food in eligible communities is strengthened | The annual growth rate of food prices in isolated Northern communities compared to the national growth rate | At or below the annual trend (increase/decrease) for the Consumer Price Index basket for food | March 31, 2021 |
| Annual average cost of the Revised Northern Food Basket | At or below the baseline for the food basket, adjusted for inflation rate for food purchased in stores (Statistics Canada) | March 31, 2021 | |
| Residents in eligible communities have access to nutritious, perishable foods at a subsidized rate | Percentage of compliance/audit reports demonstrating that subsidies have been fully passed on to consumers | 100% | March 31, 2021 |
| Annual percentage variation in the quantity of subsidized items shipped by air | 3% to 5% | March 31, 2021 |
Indigenous Services Canada
Link to the program inventory: Healthy Living
Activity: Nutrition North Canada Nutrition Education Initiatives
2020–21 planned spending: $4,363,200
Total federal funding allocated to each activity since the last renewal: $7,266,000
| 2020–21 Activity expected results | 2020–21 Activity performance indicator(s) | 2020–21 Activity target(s) |
Date to achieve activity target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residents in eligible communities have knowledge of healthy eating and skills, and are choosing and preparing healthy foods | Number of participants by type of nutrition education activity | 4 or more different types of activities per year 6 or more participants per type of activity | March 31, 2021 |
| Percentage of funding recipients reporting knowledge of healthy eating and skills among residents in eligible communities | 70% of funding recipients are reporting knowledge of healthy eating and skills | March 31, 2021 | |
| Quantity by weight of fruit and vegetables available to eligible communities | Stable or increasing | March 31, 2021 | |
| Residents in eligible communities have access to retail and community-based nutrition education initiatives | Percentage of communities promoting nutrition education activities | 100% of funding recipients are promoting and offering nutrition education activities | March 31, 2021 |
| Number and types of nutrition education activities (by target population groups, venues) | Funding recipients provide activities to 2 or more target populations (e.g., women, seniors, children, and youth) in 2 or more venues (e.g., grocery stores, schools, on the land) | March 31, 2021 |
Public Health Agency of Canada
Link to the program inventory: Health Promotion Program
Activity: Nutrition North Canada Nutrition Education Initiatives
2020–21 planned spending: $385,000
Total federal funding allocated to each activity since the last renewal: $1,975,000
| 2020–21 Activity expected result(s) | 2020–21 Activity performance indicator(s) | 2020–21 Activity target(s) |
Date to achieve activity target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community workers are trained to deliver retail and community- based nutrition education activities in eligible communities | Percentage of funding recipients with trained NNC community workers to deliver programming | 100% of recipients with trained NNC community workers to deliver programming | March 31, 2021 |
| Residents in eligible communities have access to retail and community-based nutrition education initiatives | Number of communities promoting nutrition education activities | 10/10 communities promoting nutrition education activities | March 31, 2021 |
| Number of and types of nutrition education activities (by target population groups) | 120 activities offered to 2 or more population groups (i.e. children, youth, adults, seniors) | March 31, 2021 | |
| Residents in eligible communities have knowledge of healthy eating and skills, and are choosing and preparing healthy foods | Number of participants by type of nutrition education activity | At least 1260 participants in 4 types of nutrition education activities (e.g. cooking activities, nutrition sessions, taste tests, gardening activities, etc.) | March 31, 2021 |
| Percentage of funding recipients reporting knowledge of healthy eating and skills among residents in eligible communities | 90% of funding recipients are reporting knowledge of healthy eating and skills | March 31, 2021 |