Food Security in Northern Communities

The Committee is undertaking a study on identifying ways to improve food security in northern communities. Indigenous peoples and Northerners are more likely to experience food insecurity than other Canadians. Food insecurity is a multifaceted issue arising from a lack of physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets one’s dietary needs and food preferences. Various factors contribute to the high rates of food insecurity in the North: the relative remoteness of communities; the high cost of living; socioeconomic inequalities; environmental contamination; climate change; and the effects of past policies (including residential schools and the forced relocation of Inuit).