March 26, 2026

Tetlit Gwich’in Council, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, and Aklavik Community Corporation receive federal funding to strengthen food security in Northwest Territories

Rebecca Alty, Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories, on behalf of the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, highlighted an investment of up to $95,616 to three organizations in the Northwest Territories under the Local Food Infrastructure Fund (LFIF).

The investments announced today support Indigenous organizations in delivering projects that strengthen local food systems and improve access to traditional and locally grown food. These projects will enhance harvesting capacity, expand community gardening infrastructure, and improve access to nutritious food in northern communities.

The Tetlit Gwich’in Council will receive $34,018 for the purchase of two snowmobiles with sleds. This equipment will help increase access to traditional harvesting activities and improve food security by enabling community members to gather food more efficiently.

The Inuvialuit Regional Corporation will receive $25,800 to establish and enhance community gardening infrastructure. The project will fund the purchase of garden boxes, soil, mulch, heating and cooling pipes, a drip irrigation system, heaters, water misters, gardening tools, a pulley system, grow lights, shelves, and seedling trays. The allocated funding will help increase local food production capacity and improve access to fresh, healthy food for community members in Inuvik.

The Aklavik Community Corporation will receive $35,798 to acquire two snowmobiles with sleds to support local hunting activities. The project will improve access to traditional food sources, strengthen local food security, and support community members in harvesting foods more efficiently.

Today’s announcement echoes the March 3 national announcement of 235 approved projects under the LFIF, valued at up to $30 million to continue to help improve food security through investments in infrastructure needs.

Projects are being delivered through two components. The Small Scale Projects component provides funding between $25,000 and $100,000 to support infrastructure projects, such as irrigation systems for community gardens or solar panels for greenhouses. The Large Scale Projects component provides funding between $150,000 and $500,000 in support of community food security for projects with multiple infrastructure and equipment needs.

Quotes

“As we take action to stabilize food prices, invest in domestic production, and support Canadians, the Local Food Infrastructure Fund will help ensure more families can access healthy, local food in their communities from coast to coast to coast.”

The Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

“Investing in community-led projects like these helps ensure that northern and Indigenous communities have the tools and resources they need to access healthy, local, and traditional foods. Through the Local Food Infrastructure Fund, we are strengthening food security in the Northwest Territories while supporting sustainable food systems.”

The Honourable Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories

Quick Facts

Since it first launched in August 2019, LFIF has committed up to $101 million to support over 1,425 projects to improve food security across Canada, such as: community gardens and kitchens; refrigerated trucks and storage units for donated food; greenhouses in remote and Northern communities; and more.
On January 26, 2026, the Government of Canada announced an additional $20 million to support food banks and other national, regional, and local organizations to deliver more nutritious food to families in need. Details on program parameters and intake dates will be made available soon.
In addition, to tackle the root causes of food insecurity, the Government of Canada is developing a National Food Security Strategy that aims to strengthen domestic food production and improve access to affordable, nutritious food.

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