CanNor is investing over $383,000 to help revitalize the Mackenzie Delta reindeer herd, address food insecurity and create jobs across the Inuvialuit Settlement Region

Backgrounder

Today while in Inuvik, the Honourable Daniel Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister for PrairiesCan and Minister for CanNor, announced that the Government of Canada is investing over $383,000 through the Northern Isolated Community Initiatives (NICI) Fund supporting a two-year project led by the Inuvialuit Community Economic Development Organization (ICEDO) to help revitalize the Mackenzie Delta reindeer herd. This announcement followed an earlier announcement regarding updates to the Nutrition North Program as well as a site visit to Inuvik's Country Food Processing Plant, which received CanNor funding in 2016, as part of CanNor's continued commitment to supporting food security across the North and Arctic.

Mackenzie Delta Reindeer Herd Revitalization - $383,408

  • CanNor is investing $383,408 towards a two-year project led by the Inuvialuit Community Economic Development Organization (ICEDO), in close partnership with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC), to support the revitalization of the Mackenzie Delta reindeer herd.
  • The total cost of the project is $461,108, which also includes an investment from ICEDO, an Indigenous-owned community development organization that supports Inuit communities across the Inuvialuit Settlement Region.
  • For years, the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC) has worked hard to foster the growth and well-being of the Mackenzie Delta reindeer herd so that it can one day provide a sustainable source of protein to all Inuvialuit.
  • This investment will assist ICEDO, in partnership with the IRC, with the long-term revitalization of the reindeer herd. This funding will support infrastructure development, including the construction of four seasonal cabins located along the herd's migratory path, so herders can monitor reindeer throughout the year. Corral fencing enclosures will also be installed to house reindeer that need to be isolated, medicated or studied.
  • Specialized training for Inuvialuit beneficiaries from every community in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region will help develop the skills needed for reindeer herding and meat processing activities. As a result of this project, ICEDO will provide ten training opportunities in regional herding and meat processing activities. Overall, ICEDO anticipates the creation of ten new positions and the expansion of five existing positions to manage the reindeer herd.
  • The project is intended to support investments in food security in Northern and Indigenous communities under the Government of Canada's Food Policy for Canada.
  • The funding delivered through CanNor is a non-repayable contribution from the Northern Isolated Community Initiatives (NICI) Fund, which supports community-led projects for local and Indigenous food production systems with an emphasis on innovative and practical solutions to increase food security across the North.
  • The NICI Fund complements Government of Canada programs such as Nutrition North Canada, which helps eligible Northern and isolated communities address local food security priorities.

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