Results at a Glance - Evaluation of the Nutrition North Canada program
Prepared by: Evaluation Branch
Table of contents
Program Overview
The Nutrition North Canada (NNC) Program contributes to CIRNAC's core responsibility of Northern Affairs and is delivered and managed by the Northern Affairs Organization (NAO)'s Strategic Policy Branch. The program activities contribute to the ultimate outcome of strengthening food security in Northern and isolated communities.
Summary of Findings
NNC has made important progress since the last evaluation. Communities value the program and feel that new program components support self determination and food sovereignty. Improvements to governance, design, and coordination could increase the program's responsiveness to community needs. For lasting success, the program must evolve into a strategic platform for Indigenous-led food systems, supported by predictable funding, streamlined administration, and stronger whole-of-government support.
Relevance
- Need for NNC is high in eligible communities. The subsidy lowers the price of eligible items from what they would otherwise be, and the HSG and CFPF offer a greater diversity of community-led food security solutions that better support food sovereignty and empower Indigenous leadership over local food systems. However, food insecurity in Northern and Indigenous communities is a systemic challenge impacted by a broad range of factors, including infrastructure, employment, inflation, and the environment, that the program alone cannot address.
Efficiency and Effectiveness
- The subsidy delivered most intended outputs. The expansion of surface transportation was a notable success, while targets for increased participation in direct orders fell short.
- Performance measurement of the HSG and CFPF faced challenges. Reporting rates were inconsistent and responses could be unclear, making it difficult to quantify results. Despite these challenges, recipients and community members consistently praised the HSG/CFPF for its support of food sovereignty.
- FSRG projects were launched and undertaken, meeting expectations. The project findings have yet to be published, limiting the ability of the evaluation to assess how they contribute to program data.
- ISC and PHAC met 83% – 100% of their participation targets for NEI in the evaluation period, facing initial challenges during the pandemic, but recovering in later years.
Design and Delivery
- The subsidy remains a significant area of concern for stakeholders. Market food is unaffordable for many residents in NNC communities. The subsidy's aim is to lower prices from what they might otherwise be, but it is not intended to achieve a clear outcome or target that responds to local needs. This persistent misalignment with community needs has been a fundamental challenge to how the program's impact is perceived.
- New program components and changes to the subsidy have been positive shifts towards a more diversified and sovereign Northern food system.
- NNC has conducted greater engagement with Indigenous partners, through collaboration with governance bodies such as the NNC Advisory Board, which advises on the subsidy, and Indigenous Working Group and Inuit-Crown Food Security Working Group. There continues to be demand for greater Indigenous sovereignty in the design of program governance, including a shift from advisory to decision making power and greater involvement in subsidy management.
- Food security and sovereignty is heavily impacted by a variety of factors, many external to NNC. Greater coordination across governments at all levels will better improve these structural challenges from a strategic perspective, to better support durable food security.
Recommendations and actions
Recommendation 1
Embed NNC Within a Whole-of-Government Food Security Approach for the North.
Action:
Establish ADM Food Security Committee for interdepartmental collaboration, invest in Indigenous-led research, examine the possibility of additional grants to determine possible consolidation of national program streams or program-based linking, with consideration of distinct community needs, examine changes to address external barriers, while ensuring alignment with Inuit and First Nations priorities, and examine supply chain collaboration opportunities with other federal departments.
Recommendation 2
Align the Subsidy to Deliver on Outcome-Based Affordability Targets.
Action:
Explore potential replacements for the RNFB, including Inuit and First Nation specific approaches, with partners. Review and potentially adjust subsidy rates aimed at achieving price parity across NNC communities.
Recommendation 3
Advance Indigenous Leadership in the Governance of NNC.
Action:
Host a food security summit with partners to inform program changes. Continue to support and collaborate with Indigenous governance bodies on program improvements. Review findings and recommendations of MSR upon receipt of final report in 2026.
Recommendation 4
Strengthen Transparency at the Community Level Through Collaborative Communication Mechanisms.
Action:
Examine stronger enforcement measures for retailer non-compliance, including financial penalties and suspensions. Implement a communications approach to increase awareness and better inform community members. Examine the possibility of community-based retail price data collection. Where feasible, explore community-cluster–based approaches to support streamlining and efficiency.
Recommendation 5
Continue Seeking Long-Term Investment in Community-Led Food Systems.
Action:
Continue to build on grant program success by seeking long term, flexible funding. Continue support via subsidy and grant program for local producers and community-based harvesting efforts.
About the Evaluation
In accordance with CIRNAC's Five Year Evaluation Plan a horizontal evaluation of NNC was undertaken for fiscal years 2019-2020 to 2024-25. NNC is one of 8 programs under CIRNAC's Core Responsibility of Northern Affairs. The NNC initiatives assessed include: the Nutrition North subsidy, the Harvesters Support Grant (HSG), the Community Food Program's Fund (CFPF), and the Food Security Research Grant (FSRG), as well as the Nutrition Education Initiatives (NEI) delivered by Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). The evaluation was conducted in collaboration with First Nations and Inuit partners, CIRNAC's Northern Strategic Policy Branch, ISC's Mental Wellness and Health Promotion Branch, PHAC's Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Branch, and each department's respective Office of Audit and Evaluation through an Evaluation Working Group.