2025-26 Horizontal initiative: Nutrition North Canada

General information

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: April 1, 2011

End date: Ongoing

Description of the horizontal initiative: The core objective of Nutrition North Canada (NNC) is to help make perishable, nutritious and country 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. Through Budget 2021, NNC expanded its mandate to include food security. 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. In 2022–23, NNC expanded the subsidy to food banks and not-for-profit entities supplying eligible communities with critical food items at no cost to residents, in partnership with the representative Indigenous government/organization.

In addition to supporting store-bought foods, the program's Harvesters Support Grant (HSG) aims to support the entirety of the harvesting practice and local food initiatives in 112 eligible communities. The Grant was co-developed with Indigenous partners and supports locally-led food security solutions and self-determination, with funding flowing through Indigenous governments and organizations to make sure that northern food systems reflect the needs of communities and are culturally-appropriate. In the first year of its delivery, the Grant supported over 5500 harvesters.

Funding from Budget 2021 facilitated the expansion of NNC's Harvesters Support Grant, and launched a new component, the Community Food Programs Fund, increasing total funding from $8 million per year to $40 million per year. The Community Food Programs Fund supports food sharing activities in eligible communities, such as bulk buying, elders meals programs, school food programs, and others. In 2022–23, NNC signed 2-year grant agreements in the amount of $120.7 million with 23 Indigenous governments and organizations to deliver the Harvesters Support Grant and Community Food Programs Fund in 112 isolated communities. In Winter 2025, NNC will enter into new 3-year grant agreements.

Through Budget 2021 investments, NNC also launched the Food Security Research Grant to conduct Indigenous-led research food security research in isolated communities and fill critical data gaps which may inform the subsidy trajectory moving forward. In 2022–23, NNC funded 5 Indigenous-led research projects examining food access inequality and food insecurity, awarding a total of $1.2 million to successful applicants. As Phase 1 of the grant nears completion, NNC is now awaiting the final reports and subsidy recommendations from the 5 funded projects. The results for Phase 1 of the Food Security Research Grant are expected in March 2025 and will help guide program improvements to the subsidy model and fill critical data gaps in food security research in isolated communities. Phase 2 of the Food Security Research Grant is scheduled to launch in 2025. Phase 2 will focus on developing and implementing recommendations on alternative models and opportunities for subsidy adjustments and improving food access, alongside Indigenous partners.

These expansions to the program have given Northerners better access to traditional foods and harvesting practices, and supported community-based food security activities. NNC has expanded the program subsidy to include food banks and charitable organization serving isolated communities. This development has been a critical component in strengthening partnerships with local leadership and charitable organizations.

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 (the Advisory Board) is the high-level governance structure for the NNC Horizontal Initiative. In addition to representatives from Northern Affairs, ISC and PHAC, Advisory Board membership also includes northern residents. This approach strengthens program governance by providing Northerners with a direct voice in the program. The Board meets monthly to ensure that the initiative is properly managed and that northern residents receive its full benefits, including 3 face-to-face meetings a year (2 of which can happen in NNC communities and the third is typically in Ottawa).

The Advisory Board also provides recommendations to the Minister of Northern Affairs to help guide the management, direction and activities of the program. Recommendations from the Advisory Board go through senior-level review and approval within Northern Affairs, including the Director General of Northern Strategic Policy Branch, the Assistant Deputy Ministers and the Deputy Ministers, before final approval by the Minister of Northern Affairs.

NNC's policy trajectory continues to be informed by the Indigenous Working Group (IWG) and the Inuit-Crown Food security working group (ICFSWG). Launched in May 2017, the IWG gives Indigenous partners the opportunity to co-develop program adjustments and improvements. Members of the IWG are comprised of Indigenous organizations and governments who represent NNC's eligible communities, and the IWG has a NNC co-chair partnering with a co-chair from an Indigenous organization. The ICFSWG was announced in December 2018, and is a part of the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee (ICPC). This working group is focused on developing sustainable food systems through the lens of food security in Inuit Nunangat, and NNC continues to work closely with the group to address the challenges faced by Inuit communities.

As lead department, Northern Affairs ensures timely and accurate reporting for the horizontal initiative, through the CIRNAC Departmental Plan and Departmental Results Report, and liaises with the Treasury Board Secretariat as required. In addition, the program is actively committed to continual improvement through the department's internal evaluation, which is currently underway, as well as the appointment of a Ministerial Special Representative in 2025, tasked with evaluating the program's effectiveness and providing recommendations for improvement.

Date of last renewal of the horizontal initiative: Budget (April) 2024

Additional federal funding received after the last renewal: Not applicable

Fiscal year of planned completion of next evaluation: 2025−26 Evaluation of Nutrition North Canada (horizontal evaluation led by CIRNAC)

Planning highlights for 2025–26:

CIRNAC has on-going and regular engagements with its recipients. The department works directly with Indigenous and Northern partners in support of ongoing improvements to the program and provides direct support to the Advisory Board and the Minister. CIRNAC serves as federal co-chair to the Indigenous Working Group and is recognized as a key partner to the Inuit-Crown Food Security Working Group. The department also works directly with Indigenous recipient groups benefiting from the Harvesters Support Grant and the Community Food Security Programs Fund which supports commitments made to these groups with respect to the joint measurement of results. In addition, the horizontal evaluation of NNC, led by CIRNAC, is currently on-going.

ISC will continue to work with CIRNAC and PHAC to support the overall implementation of NNC, as appropriate. Specifically, ISC will continue to fund and support culturally appropriate retail and community-based nutrition education initiatives in eligible First Nations and Inuit communities. These activities focus on increasing knowledge of healthy eating and skill development in selecting and preparing healthy store-bought and traditional or country food, and improving healthy food access.

PHAC will continue to support culturally appropriate retail and community-based Nutrition Education Initiatives in 10 NNC communities that are outside the purview of ISC. The activities, developed and delivered by community-based organizations, aim to increase knowledge of healthy eating and support skills for the selection and preparation of healthy store-bought and traditional or country foods.

Contact information:

Wayne Walsh, Director General
Northern Strategic Policy Branch, Northern Affairs Organization
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
Wayne.Walsh@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca

Horizontal initiative framework: departmental funding by theme

Planning information