The struggle to access healthy food in Northern Canada
“Food insecurity is all around us. In the price of our foods, the quality of food, the time it takes to ship or fly food to our communities, the costs and restrictions around hunting and so much more” says Patrick Kane a documentary photographer based in Yellowknife, on Chief Drygeese territory.
With support from the Trebek Initiative, Kane is creating a photo series where he will document the struggle to access healthy food in Northern Canada, explore the idea of food sovereignty, which is not only having access to affordable groceries, but also food that is culturally appropriate and harvested locally with Indigenous values and systems in mind.
“Since the introduction of settler systems and policies, Indigenous Peoples relationship with food has drastically changed” says Kane who identifies as mixed Anishinaabe/settler and proud member of the Timiskaming First Nation. “Today, roughly 22% of residents in the Northwest Territories are not able to access nutritious food, and in Nunavut, that number jumps to 60%. Access to healthy food is difficult because of the remoteness of our communities, the high cost of living, impacts of climate change, colonial policies and resource development. The consequences are dire and include malnutrition, chronic disease, depression, substance abuse, low-income families and disconnection from traditional ways of life”.
Despite these unfair and at times life-threatening circumstances, Indigenous communities continue to look for solutions. Since the average annual soil temperature in the north is at or below 0°C, resulting in permafrost conditions, the growing season is precariously short but greenhouses and community gardens, leveraging new techniques, continue to be piloted. Hunting, while challenging due to restrictions around wildlife populations, continues to provide locals with healthy options. “Indigenous communities see the value in harvesting locally sourced wild meat as both a way to offset food insecurity and reinforce cultural identity. My project looks at how Indigenous People here are moving toward meaningful self-determination in accessing nutritious, culturally acceptable food”.
While in the early stages of his project, Kane is sharing a preview here. These images, captured in Yellowknife, highlight local food programs, commercial fishers, caribou hunters and food transportation systems. “I hope to show the many facets of a complex story in a straightforward and personal way” says Kane. “At the heart of my story is people. People who are challenged by food insecurity, but also people who are helping to source nutritious food for their families and communities. I would like to bring these stories and nuances to a larger audience, so that more people are aware of the realities of food access in Northern Canada, and can offer understanding and assistance.”
Patrick Kane is a documentary photographer based in Yellowknife, NWT. His work has been published in National Geographic, Canadian Geographic, The New York Times, The Atlantic, among others. He identifies as mixed Anishinaabe/settler, as a proud member of the Timiskaming First Nation.
