How one Alberta First Nation addressed food security in an isolated, northern community

Residents of Fort Chipewyan, Alta., say a community-owned grocery store has changed their eating habits for the better.

In August 2018, the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation opened the K'ai Tail Market, a grocery store with a mandate to provide affordable, fresh food for residents. It isn'ta profit-driven model.

The ACFN spent $7 million on the store.

The store its name in Dene means"people of the land of the willow" opened in response to community concerns about food prices and food security.

Fort Chipewyan is a remote northern community that'sonly accessible by road in the winter months. The rest of the year, goods need to be flown in.

Many locals would shop 280 kilometres away in Fort McMurray, then pack their bags and fly their goods back to Fort Chipewyan.

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But now residents are finding they don't have to do that as much because prices in Fort Chipewyan are more comparable to those in Fort McMurray.

Bruce Inglis, a councillor with the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo,said in years past the price of food in the community was between 50 and 100 per cent more than Fort McMurray, but now it's closer to 20 per cent higher.

"I think people are eating better," Inglis said. "They have more disposable income because they know they're not spending so much on food."

Inglis frequently goes to Fort McMurray, but now he said he's not stuffing his bags with nearly as much food as he used to.

"I would be bringing back produce and fresh food and whatnot. And now I get very little from Fort McMurray."

He said he'd rather pay a little bit more to support a business in Fort Chipewyan. Inglis added that he still buys some goods at the Northern Store, the community's onlyother grocery store.

"It's better to have two versus one," said Inglis. He added that he's noticed the prices decrease at the Northern Store and the quality increase.

"I feel that this has probably had the biggest impact on our community in the last 20 years."

Cathwyn Philpotts, executive director of operations for K'ai Tail Market, said it took some time for the store to order the right products, in the right amounts, to serve the community.

"People started using the market a lot right away, but like any new business it takes a little while to work out the kinks," said Philpotts.

"It's ongoing learning."

Philpotts said they're trying to create as little waste as possible, so they are now putting discounts on food that's close to expiring or they're giving food away for free.

Theywill be expanding in-house programs, like nutritional support for prenatal and new moms, and helping with gluten-free and lactose-free diets.

"We already have quite a bit of the product in, but it's just we want to come up with some in-house signage."

Horace Adam, 78, an elder and member of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, said the store is valuable for the community.

"It's a store to help the local people," Adam said. "There's nothing there outdated."

He said the quality of the produce has also been much better and fresher.

"The price is reasonable, people are happy about it."