Nearly $200,000 to counter food inflation in northern Manitoba

Alan Lagimodière explains that the pandemic has increased the difficulties of access to healthy food in the north of the province.

Supply chain disruptions have driven up food prices and caused shortages of healthy food optionshe points out.

« This additional funding will help ease some of the pressure on many northern communities and put food on their tables. »

The program Northern Healthy Foods InitiativeNHFI works with communities to define their own food systems to access healthy food. The project is ambitious and aims to increase food security efforts at the community level.

Funding will be allocated to the five regional community partners of the Northern Healthy Foods InitiativeNHFI : Bayline Regional Roundtable, Four Arrows Regional Health Authority, Frontier School Division, Food Matters Manitoba and the Northern Association of Community Councils (NACC).

The director of Northern Association of Community CouncilsNACCLinda Payeur and Bayline Regional Roundtable Administrator Carol Sinofsky welcome this unique grant.

This support enables the Northern Association of Community Councils to meet the needs of our member communities in northern Manitoba who are experiencing such a dramatic increase in the cost of nutritious food and farm supplies.notes Linda Payeur.

With an increased interest in beekeeping and gardening, we will use this grant to enhance our programmingsays Carol Sagnoffsky.

The funds will generally be used to purchase seeds, soil and gardening supplies for spring programs as well as support the acceleration and growth of projects that help improve food security in the north, the statement said. Province.

The Manitoba government says it recognizes the challenges northern communities face in accessing healthy food. Minister Alan Lagimodière hopes the partnership with the agencies will contribute to healthy and culturally relevant food systems in northern Manitoba.

Remote communities, such as those in northern Manitoba, are often the hardest hit by inflation and food insecurity due to their isolation. And, the situation is not about to improve.

Currently, inflation is exceeding the Bank of Canada’s short-term forecast.

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