Manitoba providing nearly $200K to help with northern food insecurity

Fruit

The Manitoba government is providing $193,000 to the Northern Healthy Foods Initiative (NHFI) and its five regional partners to help with food insecurity issues brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations Minister Alan Lagimodiere announced the one-time funding in a Monday news release, saying the pandemic made it harder for people in northern Manitoba to access healthy food.

“Supply chain interruptions have driven-up food prices and caused shortages of healthy food options,” he said.

“This additional funding will help alleviate some of the strain placed on many northern communities and put food on their tables.”

The NHFI is a program that works with communities to create systems to access healthy foods.

Manitoba’s funding will go to five community-based regional NHFI partners, including Bayline Regional Roundtable, Four Arrows Regional Health Authority, the Frontier School Division, Food Matters Manitoba, and the Northern Association of Community Councils (NACC).

These partners will determine the specific funding allocations, allowing those who are most closely involved in the program delivery to make the decisions.

Funds are often used to buy seeds, soil and gardening supplies.