Nutrition North Canada

Nutrition North Canada - Nutrition Education Initiatives

Eating healthy foods is an important part of overall good health. The Nutrition North Canada Program helps make healthy fresh and frozen foods more accessible to people living in isolated northern communities.

Nutrition Education is an important part of the Nutrition North Canada Program. Health Canada is providing $2.9 million annually for culturally appropriate nutrition education activities in eligible isolated northern communities.

Nutrition Education Initiatives, supported by Health Canada, focus on increasing knowledge of healthy eating and developing skills in selecting and preparing healthy store-bought and traditional or country foods.

Community Activities under the Nutrition North Canada Program may include: nutrition workshops; healthy cooking classes for all ages; and activities in stores such as sampling healthy foods. Activities may also include training for workers and development of nutrition resource materials.

Early Successes from nutrition education initiatives show: 

• More partnering with local stores to promote better nutrition;
• Community members are gaining knowledge about nutrition and healthy eating, as well as developing their cooking skills;
• Young people are being provided with nutrition-related information through on-the-land camps, school-based activities and after school programs; and
• Coordination is taking place with other community programs and training of workers.

Health Canada is working with  Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) on the  Nutrition North Canada program which replaced the Food Mail Program on April 1, 2011.