Minister Vandal announces investments to support the Yukon's agri-food sector

Funding for two Yukon businesses supports growth and expansion while strengthening Northern food systems 

Whitehorse, Yukon — Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor)

Everyone deserves access to affordable, fresh food, no matter where they live. To help, the Government of Canada is making strategic investments to offset the high costs of labour, transportation, and socio-economic challenges that impact the ability of Northerners and Indigenous peoples to grow, harvest and buy food. Through regional and local initiatives, solutions are being implemented to address food insecurity and strengthen food systems in the North and Arctic. 

Today, the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, PrairiesCan and CanNor, and Dr. Brendan Hanley, Member of Parliament for Yukon, announced an investment of over $185,000 through CanNor to support two agri-food related projects in the Yukon. 

Sarah's Harvest is receiving $99,999 towards a two year project, which began in spring 2022, to construct a passive solar greenhouse in Whitehorse, meaning that it is heated entirely by stored energy from the sun. The project received an additional investment of $39,967 under the Canadian Agriculture Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative to strengthen the agriculture and agri-food sector. CanNor's funding supports greenhouse design, site preparation, material purchases, hiring local contractors and integrating seeding benches and garden beds in the facility.

The greenhouse helps extend the growing season, increases product and seedling production, and reduces operating costs through the use of thermal storage. The project supports the expansion of a woman-owned and operated agriculture business. 

ColdAcre Food Systems Inc. is receiving $85,345 towards a one-year project to build a food processing facility and develop and implement a marketing campaign that promotes local food options in the Yukon. The project is receiving additional investment of $112,888 from the Government of Yukon's Economic Development Fund program and $24,700 from the Canadian Agricultural Partnership. CanNor funding supports the design and construction of the facility in Whitehorse as well as aspects of the marketing campaign such as local advertising, hiring a food marketing consultant, and developing a website and various marketing materials. 

The food processing facility, which will include a storefront, will help producers access processing facilities and sell their products. This will help increase both the availability and accessibility of local food options and it will support the growth and expansion of Yukon food businesses. The marketing initiative will complement the new hub by helping generate public interest and awareness regarding local food options in the Yukon. It will also showcase ColdAcre Food System Inc.'s local food delivery subscription boxes, which include products from up to fifteen other local suppliers.

These investments are examples of the Government of Canada's continued work to strengthen the Northern food sector through community-led projects that both reduce dependence on southern food production and enhance local food production capacity.