CanNor invests $4M to strengthen food infrastructure in Northwest Territories

The Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) invests over $4 million in five food initiatives in the Northwest Territories. This funding is expected to help communities, organizations, and businesses enhance infrastructure to produce, harvest, process and distribute local and country foods. It includes projects like production facilities and country food processing plants, ensuring greater access to food for communities and the entire territory.

“Northern communities continue to face challenges with food security and an over reliance on southern food systems, particularly in remote and rural communities. But these challenges can be solved by northern solutions and leadership. By investing in diverse, local and culturally-relevant food initiatives, we are strengthening community wellbeing while building more resilient and diversified northern economies,” said Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs and Minister responsible for CanNor.

The projects being funded are:

Sachs Harbour Hunters & Trappers Committee – Country food processing facility
CanNor is investing up to $1 million towards a three-year project for the Sachs Harbour Hunters & Trappers Committee to establish a country foods processing and chiller facility in Sachs Harbour. The new facility will allow the community to process, store and distribute locally and sustainably harvested country foods such as fish and muskox. The facility will support local food security and jobs and provide opportunities for market expansion, including reentering the muskox market locally and internationally. The Committee is securing the remaining funds, for a total project cost of $2,388,407.

Inuvialuit Community Economic Development Organization – Country food processing facility
CanNor is investing up to $1.7 million towards a three-year project for the Inuvialuit Community Economic Development Organization (ICEDO), which is housed under the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation. This funding will support ICEDO in expanding its existing Country Foods Processing Plant in Inuvik by developing a permanent facility and increasing processing and distribution capacity for locally harvested country foods. This project will reduce food insecurity in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region. ICEDO is securing the remaining funds, for a total project cost of $3,220,000.

Community Garden Society of Inuvik – Inuvik greenhouse
CanNor is investing up to $24,199 towards a one-year project for the Community Garden Society of Inuvik (CGSI), which supports community gardening in Inuvik and operates the Inuvik greenhouse. This funding will support CGSI in completing essential renovations and repairs to maintain the greenhouse, allowing CGSI to continue providing vital infrastructure for food production and skills development in the community. CGSI is securing the remaining funds, for a total project cost of $30,249.

Territorial Agrifood Association – Agricultural conferences
CanNor is investing up to $99,900 towards a three-year project for the Territorial Agrifood Association (TAA), which supports and advocates for a sustainable, competitive, resilient agri-food sector in the Northwest Territories. This funding will support TAA enhance education efforts through a website redesign and community visits, as well as host the next three annual agricultural conferences. TAA is securing the remaining funds, for a total project cost of $171,650.

Knutsford Ventures – Polar Egg
CanNor is granting a repayable loan of up to $1.2 million towards a three-year project for Knutsford Ventures, which operates Polar Egg, an agriculture business that produces and distributes eggs in the Northwest Territories. The funding will support Knutsford Ventures in remodelling the Hay River farm to maximize efficiency and increase capacity, including a new layer farm and egg grading facility. This will allow more Polar Egg products to be produced within the Northwest Territories. Knutsford Ventures is securing the remaining funds, for a total project cost of $15,000,000.

The investment is being done through the Inclusive Diversification and Economic Advancement in the North (IDEANorth) program and the Northern Isolated Community Initiatives (NICI) Fund.

“Polar Egg is the proud supplier of the local eggs in the Northwest Territories. It means a lot to us to be able to bring such a nutritious food source, grown right here in the NWT, to all communities here in the North. We are very grateful for the support we receive from CanNor,” said Matt Vane, Polar Egg co-owner.

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