I watched it happen from the sidewalk—flames reaching skyward from the Prince Albert Grand Council’s warehouse on a bitter Thursday evening. Where 300 food hampers once stood ready for northern families, there was suddenly only smoke and charred debris. As I spoke with shaken PAGC staff the following morning, a question hung heavy in the October air: What happens to the hundreds of families counting on those supplies?
“It’s devastating,” PAGC Vice Chief Joseph Tsannie told me while surveying the damage. “These hampers represented more than just food. For many northern communities facing food insecurity, they were a lifeline through winter months.”
The fire, which broke out around 8:30 PM Thursday at the PAGC’s distribution center, destroyed nearly $150,000 worth of food supplies intended for remote First Nations communities. Prince Albert Fire Department officials confirmed the blaze began in the storage area, though the investigation into the cause remains ongoing.
Within hours, something remarkable began unfolding across Prince Albert. By Friday afternoon, what started as a trickle of individual donations transformed into a flood of community support.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Marion Bear, PAGC’s food security coordinator. “People just started showing up with groceries, gift cards—some even brought entire truckloads of canned goods and staples.”
The Prince Albert Food Bank immediately pledged to redirect a portion of their inventory. Local grocery chains Safeway and Save-On-Foods established donation bins at their entrances. By Saturday morning, the temporary collection site at the PAGC office was overflowing.
For Cecil Naytowhow, an elder from Sturgeon Lake First Nation who joined the volunteer efforts, the response transcended the practical need. “This shows that in difficult moments, we still know how to come together. It’s the northern way.”
The Saskatchewan Ministry of Social Services has also stepped in, announcing emergency funding of $75,000 to help rebuild the hamper program. Minister Donna Harpauer issued a statement acknowledging the critical nature of the program, especially with winter approaching.
For context, the PAGC serves approximately 12 northern First Nations with a combined population of nearly 30,000 people. Many of these communities face unique food security challenges due to their remote locations, with grocery prices often two to three times higher than in urban centers.
Statistics Canada data shows that 48% of Indigenous households in northern Saskatchewan experience some form of food insecurity, compared to the provincial average of 11%. The hamper program, which operates year-round but intensifies during winter months, helps bridge this gap.
As I walked through the makeshift sorting area at the Margo Fournier Centre, where the city donated space for the relief effort, the scale of community response became clear. More than 120 volunteers—many who had never participated in PAGC initiatives before—formed assembly lines, sorting donations and rebuilding hampers.
“I don’t have connections to any First Nations communities,” admitted Sarah Klassen, a local teacher who brought her entire family to volunteer. “But these are our neighbors. When I heard about the fire on the radio, my kids were the ones who insisted we come help.”
By Sunday evening, volunteers had assembled nearly 200 replacement hampers. PAGC officials believe they’ll reach their target of 300 by mid-week, allowing deliveries to resume with minimal delay.
Northern communities have also rallied, with leadership from Montreal Lake Cree Nation and Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation organizing their own collection drives to supplement the efforts in Prince Albert.
“This is reconciliation in action,” observed Dr. Emily Fiddler, an Indigenous studies professor at First Nations University. “Not just words or ceremonies, but people from different backgrounds putting their hands to work together during a crisis.”
The community mobilization hasn’t gone unnoticed by those who will ultimately receive the hampers. Eliza McKenzie from Grandmother’s Bay told me over the phone that hearing about the outpouring of support provided emotional comfort beyond the practical help.
“When you live in a remote community, sometimes you feel forgotten,” she explained. “Knowing that people care enough to rebuild what was lost—that matters just as much as the food itself.”
PAGC Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte has expressed profound gratitude for the response but also emphasized that food security remains an ongoing challenge requiring systemic solutions.
“The generosity we’ve witnessed is heartwarming,” Hardlotte said during Sunday’s volunteer appreciation gathering. “But we must remember that food insecurity in our communities isn’t just about emergencies—it’s a daily reality requiring long-term commitments.”
The PAGC is now working with provincial emergency management officials to secure a new distribution facility with improved fire safety systems. Meanwhile, donations continue to arrive, with several community fundraisers planned throughout the coming weeks.
For those still wishing to contribute, the PAGC has established a dedicated relief fund through the Prince Albert Community Foundation, with all proceeds going directly to rebuilding and expanding the hamper program.
As volunteer coordinator Thomas Sewap told me while closing up the sorting center Sunday night: “When the flames were burning, it felt like a disaster. Now it feels more like a beginning—like we’ve uncovered something powerful about who we can be for each other.”
And perhaps that’s the story beneath the ashes—not just about food hampers rebuilt, but about bridges strengthened between communities that too often remain disconnected.
