Food Security Research Grant

Overview of the Food Security Research Grant program:

This research addresses key questions and challenges with respect to food access inequality, the dynamics of existing federal food access programs and food insecurity among Indigenous Peoples living in isolated communities. All research funded under the grant must either be directed by Indigenous stakeholders or conducted with clear partnerships between academics and Indigenous communities. The grant will run from 2022 to 2024 and will invest $1.5 million to generate additional insight and knowledge on the effects of the Nutrition North Canada (NNC) retail subsidy and inform ongoing improvements to support equitable access to store-bought food.

Benefits of the Food Security Research Grant program:

• NNC subsidies apply to all eligible items shipped to eligible communities by air, ice road, sealift or barge. Subsidy rates vary depending on:
• Type of transportation used
• Location of the community
• Category of eligible food and non-food items
• Eligible communities and their subsidy rates
• Eligible food and non-food items
• By air
• There are 3 subsidy levels for items shipped by air:
• High
• Medium
• Low

Eligibility criteria of the Food Security Research Grant program:

• Funded projects have met one or more of the following criteria:
• Indigenous governing body which represents one or more NNC-eligible communities and which can demonstrate an established partnership with an accredited, Canadian post-secondary institution
• Indigenous organization residing in NNC-eligible communities and which can demonstrate an established partnership with an accredited, Canadian post-secondary institution
• Independent researcher or knowledge user who self-identifies as Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Metis) and can clearly demonstrate a partnership with one or more Indigenous organizations or NNC-eligible communities
• Researcher affiliated with an accredited Canadian post-secondary institution that can clearly demonstrate past research experience and a meaningful and culturally safe partnership with one or more Indigenous organizations and NNC-eligible communities