Support for hunting, harvesting and community-led food programs

The Harvesters Support Grant and Community Food Programs Fund support food security in Nutrition North Canada communities.

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What the Harvesters Support Grant and Community Food Programs Fund are

Developed in direct collaboration with Indigenous and northern partners, these Nutrition North Canada (NNC) programs support Northerners' own food priorities, while improving conditions for food sovereignty within northern communities.

The Harvesters Support Grant increases access to country foods by providing funding to support traditional hunting, harvesting and food sharing in isolated communities. It also respects the inherent hunting and harvesting rights of Indigenous people in Canada.

The Community Food Programs Fund is an important component of the Harvesters Support Grant. Introduced in 2022, this fund has been co-developed with Indigenous partners to support a variety of community food sharing activities that include locally grown, market and country food. The Community Food Programs Fund expands the scope of the grant to initiatives such as school food programs, elders meal programs, and group ordering; supporting and strengthening the work that communities do to support local food security through culturally-appropriate, locally-led solutions.

Through flexible funding opportunities delivered by Indigenous organizations, the Harvesters Support Grant and Community Food Programs Fund:

Harvesters Support Grant expanded in June 2022, to include the new Community Food Programs Fund. 

How these programs work

Recipient organizations receive funding for eligible communities in their region and can create programs or other ways to support the communities they represent.

Each community has unique food security needs and priorities. The Harvesters Support Grant and Community Food Programs Fund are designed to ensure that Indigenous governments and organizations can decide how best to support their own communities.

The Harvesters Support Grant honours traditional decision making systems, and ensures that proposals are reviewed by a Women's Council, This council is composed of Indigenous and non-Indigenous individuals who have extensive experience and knowledge of Northern issues and harvesting traditions.

The Harvesters Support Grant and Community Food Programs Fund support a wide range of hunting, harvesting and food sharing activities or initiatives, such as:

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Who is eligible

To be eligible for the Harvesters Support Grant and the Community Food Programs Fund, an Indigenous organization representing a community must:

Thirteen communities eligible for the NNC retail subsidy are not reliant on air transportation for more than 8 months each year, and therefore not eligible for the Harvesters Support Grant. These communities are on the Quebec North Shore and the Northwest Territories:

Recipient organizations

Community Recipient organization Province or territory
Aklavik Inuvialuit Regional Corporation Northwest Territories
Akulivik Makivik Corporation Quebec
Angling Lake Sioux Lookout Area Aboriginal Management Board Ontario
Arctic Bay Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Arviat Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Attawapiskat Mushkegowuk Council Ontario
Aupaluk Makivik Corporation Quebec
Baker Lake Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Bearskin Lake Sioux Lookout Area Aboriginal Management Board Ontario
Big Trout Lake Sioux Lookout Area Aboriginal Management Board Ontario
Black Tickle NunatuKavut Community Council Newfound land and Labrador
Brochet Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Manitoba
Cambridge Bay Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Cape Dorset Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Cat Lake Sioux Lookout Area Aboriginal Management Board Ontario
Chesterfield Inlet Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Clyde River Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Colville Lake Sahtu Secretariat Inc. Northwest Territories
Coral Harbour Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Deer Lake Sioux Lookout Area Aboriginal Management Board Ontario
Délîne Sahtu Secretariat Inc. Northwest Territories
Eabametoong First Nation (Fort Hope) Kiikenomaga Kikenjigewen Employment and Training Services Ontario
Favourable Lake (Sandy Lake) Sioux Lookout Area Aboriginal Management Board Ontario
Fond-du-Lac Prince Albert Grand Council Saskatchewan
Fort Albany Mushkegowuk Council Ontario
Fort Chipewyan Athabasca Tribal Council Alberta
Fort Good Hope Sahtu Secretariat Inc. Northwest Territories
Fort Severn Sioux Lookout Area Aboriginal Management Board Ontario
Gamètì (Rae Lakes) Tłı̨chǫ Government Northwest Territories
Gjoa Haven Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Gods Lake Narrows Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Manitoba
Gods River Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Manitoba
Granville Lake Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Manitoba
Grise Fiord Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Hall Beach Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Hopedale Nunatsiavut Government Newfoundland and Labrador
Igloolik Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Inukjuak Makivik Corporation Quebec
Iqaluit Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Island Lake (Garden Hill) Island Lake Tribal Council Manitoba
Ivujivik Makivik Corporation Quebec
Kangiqsualujjuaq Makivik Corporation Quebec
Kangiqsujuaq Makivik Corporation Quebec
Kangirsuk Makivik Corporation Quebec
Kasabonika Sioux Lookout Area Aboriginal Management Board Ontario
Kashechewan Mushkegowuk Council Ontario
Keewaywin Sioux Lookout Area Aboriginal Management Board Ontario
Kimmirut Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Kingfisher Lake Sioux Lookout Area Aboriginal Management Board Ontario
Kugaaruk Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Kugluktuk Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Kuujjuaq Makivik Corporation Quebec
Kuujjuarapik Makivik Corporation Quebec
Lac Brochet Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Manitoba
Little Grand Rapids South East Resource Development Corporation Manitoba
Łutsel K'e Łutsel K'e Dene First Nation Northwest Territories
Makkovik Nunatsiavut Government Newfoundland and Labrador
Marten Falls First Nation Kiikenomaga Kikenjigewen Employment and Training Services Ontario
Muskrat Dam Sioux Lookout Area Aboriginal Management Board Ontario
Nain Nunatsiavut Government Newfoundland and Labrador
Natuashish Innu Nation Newfoundland and Labrador
Naujaat (Repulse Bay) Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Negginan (Poplar River) South East Resource Development Corporation Manitoba
Neskantaga First Nation (Lansdowne House) Kiikenomaga Kikenjigewen Employment and Training Services Ontario
Nibinamik First Nation (Summer Beaver) Kiikenomaga Kikenjigewen Employment and Training Services Ontario
Norman Wells Sahtu Secretariat Inc. Northwest Territories
North Spirit Lake Sioux Lookout Area Aboriginal Management Board Ontario
Old Crow Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation Yukon
Oxford House Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Manitoba
Pangnirtung Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Pauingassi South East Resource Development Corporation Manitoba
Paulatuk Inuvialuit Regional Corporation Northwest Territories
Peawanuck Mushkegowuk Council Ontario
Pikangikum Sioux Lookout Area Aboriginal Management Board Ontario
Pond Inlet Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Poplar Hill Sioux Lookout Area Aboriginal Management Board Ontario
Postville Nunatsiavut Government Newfoundland and Labrador
Puvirnituq Makivik Corporation Quebec
Qikiqtarjuaq Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Quaqtaq Makivik Corporation Quebec
Rankin Inlet Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Red Sucker Lake Island Lake Tribal Council Manitoba
Resolute Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Rigolet Nunatsiavut Government Newfoundland and Labrador
Sachigo Lake Sioux Lookout Area Aboriginal Management Board Ontario
Sachs Harbour Inuvialuit Regional Corporation Northwest Territories
Salluit Makivik Corporation Quebec
Sambaa K'e Sambaa K'e First Nation Northwest Territories
Sanikiluaq Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Shamattawa Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Manitoba
St. Theresa Point Island Lake Tribal Council Manitoba
Tadoule Lake Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Manitoba
Taloyoak Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Tasiujaq Makivik Corporation Quebec
Tulita Sahtu Secretariat Inc. Northwest Territories
Ulukhaktok (Holman) Inuvialuit Regional Corporation Northwest Territories
Umiujaq Makivik Corporation Quebec
Uranium City Prince Albert Grand Council Saskatchewan
Wasagamack Island Lake Tribal Council Manitoba
Wawakapewin Sioux Lookout Area Aboriginal Management Board Ontario
Weagamow Lake Sioux Lookout Area Aboriginal Management Board Ontario
Webequie Kiikenomaga Kikenjigewen Employment and Training Services Ontario
Wekweètì (Snare Lake) Tłı̨chǫ Government Northwest Territories
Whatì Tłı̨chǫ Government Northwest Territories
Whale Cove Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Nunavut
Wollaston Lake Prince Albert Grand Council Saskatchewan
Wunnummin Lake Sioux Lookout Area Aboriginal Management Board Ontario
York Landing Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Manitoba
Additional recipient organizations serving communities marked "pending" are in the process of submitting proposals.

Funding per organization

There are 2 streams of funding available to recipient organizations.

Stream 1: Land claim organization and self-government
For communities with settled land claims, grant funding is provided to the land claim or self-government organizations. These organizations are accountable to their own citizens for how they use and allocate the funding.
Stream 2: Communities
For communities without a settled land claim, a call for proposals are issued regularly to Indigenous organizations representing eligible communities. Proposals are developed in partnership with the communities and described their harvesting needs and objectives.

The amounts received by these recipient organizations reflect the increases to the Harvesters Support Grant and the Community Foods Program fund and are set to expire on March 31, 2024.

Stream 1: Land claim organization and self-government recipient organizations

Tlicho Government
Length of agreement: 2 years
Total funding: $1,320,598
Sahtu Secretariat Inc.
Length of agreement: 2 years
Total funding: $1,787,896
Vuntut Gwitchin (Old Crow)
Length of agreement: 2 years
Total funding: $443,908
NunatuKavut Community Council
Length of agreement: 2 years
Total funding: $299,000
Inuvialuit Regional Corporation
Length of agreement: 2 years
Total funding: $7,563,540
Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated
Length of agreement: 2 years
Total funding: $29,804,658
Makivik Corporation
Length of agreement: 2 years
Total funding: $14,764,500
Nunatsiavut Government
Length of agreement: 2 years
Total funding: $6,925,302
Gwichin Tribal Council
Length of agreement: 2 years
Total funding: $475,000
Deline Renewable Resource Council
Length of agreement: 2 years
Total funding: $603,100
Tsiigehtchic / Gwichya Gwichin Council
Length of agreement: 2 years
Total funding: $325,000
Whapmagoostui
Length of agreement: 2 years
Total funding: $400,000

Stream 2: Communities recipient organizations

Sioux Lookout Area Aboriginal Management Board
Length of agreement: 2 years
Total funding: $13,995,968
Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak
Length of agreement: 2 years
Total funding: $11,157,072
Island Lake Tribal Council
Length of agreement: 2 years
Total funding: $4,426,883
Southeast Resource Development Council Corporation
Length of agreement: 2 years
Total funding: $2,861,132
Mushkegowuk Tribal Council
Length of agreement: 2 years
Total funding: $4,084,583
Sambaa K'e First Nation (Trout Lake)
Length of agreement: 2 years
Total funding: $665,799
Lutsel K'e First Nation
Length of agreement: 2 years
Total funding: $665,800
Prince Albert Grand Council
Length of agreement: 2 years
Total funding: $2,286,000
Kiikenomaga Kikenjigewen
Employment and Training Services
Length of the Agreement: 2 years
Total funding: $4,530,914
Athabasca Tribal Council
Length of Agreement: 2 years
Total Funding: $892,000
Innu Nation
Length of Agreement: 1 year
Total Funding: $300,000
Nahanni Butte Dene Band
Length of Agreement: 2 years
Total Funding: $386,384

Contact information

If you live in an eligible community, contact your local community leadership.

For other questions about the Harvesters Support Grant and Community Food Programs Fund, email nutritionnordcanada-nutritionnorthcanada@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca

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