Horizontal initiative: Nutrition North Canada
Table of contents
General information
Note the Nutrition North Canada (NNC) Horizontal Results Framework is currently being revised and is anticipated to be approved by the Treasury Board Secretariat in 2022–23. The data and financial information for 2021–22 is based on the previous Horizontal Results Framework.
Lead department: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC)
Federal partner organizations: Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)
Start date of the horizontal initiative: April 1, 2011
End date of the horizontal initiative: Ongoing
Description of the horizontal initiative: 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 CIRNAC 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: $1,007,586,803
ISC: $14,500,000 (2011–12 to 2015–16), $21,766,000 (2016–17 to 2020–21) and $4,363,200 ongoing
PHAC: $1,975,000 (2016–17 to 2020–21) and $385,000 ongoing
Total federal planned spending to date (dollars):
CIRNAC: $965,607,786
ISC: $42,156,860
PHAC: $2,360,000
Total federal actual spending to date (dollars):
CIRNAC: $976,509,363
ISC: $38,343,848
PHAC: $2,164,471
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 (2016–17 to 2020–21) and 50,329,999 ongoing (Budget 2016)
ISC: $7,266,000 over 5 years and $1,463,200 ongoing in addition to the $2,900,000 ongoing from the previous renewal
PHAC: $1,975,000 (Budget 2016) and $385,000 ongoing
Additional federal funding received after the last renewal (dollars):
CIRNAC: $72,284,074 (2019–20 to 2025–26), $10,680,191 ongoing, $25,000,000 (2020–21), $20,000,000 (2021–22)
Total planned spending since the last renewal:
CIRNAC: $652,873,461
ISC: $26,129,199
PHAC: $2,360,000
Total actual spending since the last renewal:
CIRNAC: $646,079,684
ISC: $23,439,541
PHAC: $2,164,471
Fiscal year of planned completion of next evaluation: March 2025
Performance highlights:
CIRNAC: In 2021–22, NNC maintained increased subsidy rates and the list of eligible items that had been introduced in 2020–21 as a pandemic response. Additionally, 5 new Northwest Territories communities became eligible for the retail subsidy during their seasonal periods of isolation. In 2021–22, NNC also obtained policy coverage for authorities to expand the retail subsidy program's eligibility criteria to allow southern food banks to apply, and reduce the administrative burden for small local retailers. NNC also developed a research grant component of the program to fill data gaps on food access inequality and to explore opportunities to improve the design and delivery of the retail subsidy to help address food insecurity.
ISC: In 2020–21Footnote 1, 98% (53 out of 54) of funding recipients representing 93% (103 out of 111) of eligible communities received funding support for NNC nutrition education initiatives by ISC. Activities reported by funding recipients included promotion of healthy eating knowledge; food skills development; in-store taste tests and grocery store tours; traditional food harvesting and preparation. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increase seen in the types of activities involving accessing food (e.g., healthy meals, good food boxes and food hampers). Also, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a decrease in the amount of reports submitted to ISC in 2021–22. Only 33% (18 out of 54) of funding recipients submitted their annual reports.
PHAC: In 2021–22, funding recipients delivered a total of 915 nutrition education activities to more than 3,400 participants, of which approximately 10% of activities reached children, 10% reached youth, 59% involved adults and 21% involved seniors. Activities included promoting nutrition and healthy food information, cooking and food skills development programs, gardening and local harvesting initiatives, and healthy offerings. Information sharing via social media and hard copy resource distribution continued to be a popular activity this year as communities dealt with the ongoing challenges of in-person community programming during the pandemic. Participation increased towards pre-pandemic participation levels, and all recipients reported that progress continued to be made towards strengthening knowledge of healthy eating and supporting skills in the selection and preparation of healthy store-bought and traditional or country food.
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
Dr. Tom Wong
Chief Medical Officer and Director General, Office of Population and Public Health
Population Health and Primary Care Directorate
First Nations and Inuit Health Branch
Telephone: 613-952-9616
Tom.Wong@canada.ca
Public Health Agency of Canada
Sally Scott
Executive Director, Division of Children and Youth, Centre for Health Promotion
Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Branch
Telephone: 613-897-4109
Sally.Scott@phac-aspc.gc.ca
Shared outcome
Isolated northern communities' nutritional choices and overall health are strengthened.
Performance information
Horizontal initiative overview
| Total federal funding, including legacy funding, allocated since the last renewal | 2021–22 Planned spending |
2021–22 Actual spending |
Horizontal initiative shared outcome | 2021–22 Performance indicator(s) |
2021–22 Target(s) |
Date to achieve target | 2021–22 Actual results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
CIRNAC: ISC: PHAC: |
CIRNAC: ISC: PHAC: |
CIRNAC: ISC: PHAC: |
Isolated northern communities' nutritional choices and overall 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 | By March 31, 2022 |
37.8% for First Nations on reserve (Regional Health Survey, 2015–16), and 36.9% for Inuit in Inuit Nunangat (Aboriginal Peoples Survey, 2017) |
| Quantity of subsidized foods (kg) per capita by each category | Stable or increasing from the 2011 baseline year | By March 31, 2022 | Not available. Complete data was not received for all communities. |
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
| 2021–22 Expected results |
2021–22 Performance indicators |
2021–22 Targets |
2021–22 Target dates |
2021–22 Actual results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 (CPI) | March 31, 2022 | Not available. Complete data was not received for all communities. |
| 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, 2022 | Not available. Complete data was not received for all communities. | |
| Residents in eligible communities have access to nutritious perishable food at a subsidized rate | Percentage of compliance/audit reports demonstrating that subsidies have been fully passed on to consumers | 100% | March 31, 2022 | Not available. Complete data was not received for all communities. |
| Annual percentage variation in the quantity of subsidized items shipped by air | 3% to 5% | March 31, 2022 | Not available. Complete data was not received for all communities. |
Indigenous Services Canada
| 2021–22 Expected results |
2021–22 Performance indicators |
2021–22 Targets |
2021–22 Target dates |
2021–22 Actual results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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, 2022 |
More than 22,000 participants attended nutrition education activities (Results are for 2020–21). 50% of funding recipients offered 4 or more different types of activities. 95% of the different types of activities delivered by funding recipients had 6 or more participants. |
| 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, 2022 | 80% of funding recipients that submitted NNC annual reports for nutrition education Initiatives indicated that community members have increased their knowledge of healthy eating and skills, and are choosing and preparing healthy food (Results are for 2020–21). | |
| Quantity by weight of fruit and vegetables | Stable or increasing annually | March 31, 2022 | Not available. Complete data was not received for all communities. | |
| 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, 2022 | 98% (53 out of 54) of funding recipients representing 93% (103 out of 111) of eligible communities received funding support for NNC nutrition education Initiatives (Results are for 2020–21). |
| 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, 2022 |
More than 1500 NNC nutrition education activities were delivered by First Nations and Inuit funding recipients (Results are for 2020–21). 88% of communities offered nutrition education activities to at least 2 target populations (e.g., children, youth, women and seniors) and 94% in at least 2 venues (e.g., schools, daycares, stores, community centres and on the land). |
Public Health Agency of Canada
| 2021–22 Expected results |
2021–22 Performance indicators |
2021–22 Targets |
2021–22 Target dates |
2021–22 Actual results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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, 2022 | 90% (9 of 10 communities)a |
| 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, 2022 | 10/10 communities |
| Number and types of nutrition education activities (by target population groups, venues) | 120 activities offered to 2 or more population groups (i.e. children, youth, adults, seniors) | March 31, 2022 | 915 NNC nutrition education activities offeredb | |
| 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 1,260 participants in 4 types of nutrition education activities (e.g. cooking activities, nutrition sessions, taste tests, gardening activities, etc.) | March 31, 2022 | More than 3,400 participants attended 6 types of nutrition education activities (cooking/food skills, nutrition education, healthy offerings, gardening/food gathering, information sharing, other) |
| 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, 2022 | 90% of funding recipients | |
|
a In 1 community, the person delivering retail and community-based nutrition education activities did not receive training. They are also the coordinator for the school activities at the site and only paid in part by NNC. They were not included in the training workshops given by the nutritionist to the NNC project staff in 2021–22, however they will be offered NNC training in 2022–23 year. b Types of activities included: healthy offerings (43% of activities), cooking/food skills development (26%), nutrition education activities (9%), gardening/local food harvesting activities (8%), information sharing (social media and resource distribution) (8%), and other activities (6%). Activities involved multiple target groups: 10% involved children, 10% involved youth, 59% involved adults, and 21% involved seniors. |
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Theme horizontal initiative activities: Not applicable (no themes)