The federal government expects to unveil long-awaited reforms to Nutrition North Canada this fall, but Northern Affairs Minister Rebecca Chartrand says the changes will go beyond lowering grocery prices and will focus on building a broader northern food economy.

“When we look at reform, we know that a food subsidy alone will not solve the food insecurity issue,” Chartrand said in an interview. “That is why we are looking at a whole government approach to address the food insecurity issues in the North.”

Established in 2011, Nutrition North provides subsidies and other support to help reduce the cost of nutritious food and essential items in 124 northern and remote communities, including in Nunavut and Nunavik.

The federal government launched an external review of the program in October 2024, following years of criticism over whether the program was effectively reducing the high cost of groceries in the North.

That review, managed by former Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. president Aluki Kotierk, is one of many external and internal reports the department is relying on to inform possible changes, Chartrand told Nunatsiaq News earlier this year.

The major focus of the reform will be shifting toward what Chartrand called a northern “food economy” — supporting food entrepreneurs, such as through the Harvester’s Support Grant, local supply chains, food processing and community-led solutions. 

Chartrand said reforms will be tailored to regional needs, as not every community equally relies on the Nutrition North subsidy to reduce food costs. 

“We don’t want to create sweeping changes that would pull the rug out from underneath people when we have heard that some communities rely on that subsidy,” she said. 

The government is also reviewing whether additional northern communities should become eligible for Nutrition North support.

The minister said the government’s review also examined concerns raised following a 2024 joint APTN and CBC News investigation that alleged some retailers were not fully passing Nutrition North subsidies on to consumers.

Chartrand said retailers told the government that the subsidy has not kept pace with inflation, meaning the amount of support provided has not increased enough to match rising costs.

The federal government announced a $30-million top-up to Nutrition North in February to provide immediate support by subsidizing shipping costs for perishable foods and essential items while broader reforms are developed.

Beyond the retail subsidy, Chartrand said future reforms could include funding food infrastructure, including hydroponics, vertical gardening, greenhouses, community freezers, local distribution networks and Indigenous-led food businesses.

The successes of future reforms will be based on whether nutritious food becomes more affordable, whether access to country food improves, whether community-led food programs expand and whether northern food businesses grow, she said. 

Chartrand acknowledged northerners are frustrated after years of discussion without visible changes to grocery prices.

“We’re modernizing the retail subsidy, improving transparency and retailer accountability, expanding support for the harvesters and the country food program, looking to invest in community food infrastructure and entrepreneurship,” Chartrand said.

“These steps, obviously, will take some time.”