Information Sheet

Food Security in the North

Food security and nutrition are major issues in isolated, northern communities. Northern populations are growing rapidly and the need for nutritious food is steadily increasing.

Based on surveys conducted in 2009, a family of four in most isolated communities in the Northwest Territories or Nunavut, for example, would spend $400 to $450 a week to buy a basic nutritious diet. In northern Quebec, they would spend approximately $350 to $400. This compares to $225 to $255 in cities in southern Canada. In isolated communities, a 2 litre jug or carton of milk typically costs between $6.50 and $8.50.

The Food Mail Program

To make nutritious, perishable food more affordable in isolated communities, the Government of Canada set up the Food Mail Program. The program, also known as Northern Air Stage Program, is administered by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC). INAC provides funding to Canada Post for transporting nutritious, perishable foods to isolated communities by air. This funding helps keep the cost of food down and requires that transportation of these products be done in optimum conditions to improve the quality of the food reaching remote communities.

The program provides a lower postage rate for nutritious perishable foods. These foods, such as vegetables, fruit, bread, meat and milk, can be shipped as food mail for $0.80 per kilogram plus $0.75 per parcel. There has been no increase in this rate since July 1993. Non-perishable food and some essential non-food items can also be shipped under this program at higher postage rates. Foods of little nutritional value, such as pop and chips, are not funded.

In 2008-2009, approximately 19,900,000 kilograms of food and other goods were shipped under this program.

Which Communities Can Use the Program?

All isolated northern communities that do not have year-round access by surface transportation are eligible, except those where surface transportation is not available only for brief periods during freeze-up and breakup. About 135 communities - roughly 100,000 people - are eligible. Most of these are Aboriginal communities located in the three territories and in Labrador and northern portions of Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

INAC spent approximately $57.8 million to subsidize Food Mail service provided by Canada Post in 2008-2009. Approximately 60 percent of the total was used to provide Food Mail service to communities in Nunavut and approximately 30 percent of the funding was used in Nunavik.