The aroma of caribou stew fills the community hall in Baker Lake, Nunavut, as volunteers ladle steaming portions into bowls for waiting residents. After a three-month hiatus due to funding challenges, the Baker Lake Food Bank has resumed its hot meal service—a lifeline for many in this remote northern community where food insecurity rates hover near 70 percent, the highest in Canada.
“We’re seeing about 40 to 50 people coming through each meal service now, which is actually up from before we had to pause,” explains Mary Uqayuittuq, who has coordinated the food bank for eight years. “With grocery prices still climbing, that hot meal makes a tremendous difference, especially for elders and families with young children.”
The resumption of services comes after a community fundraising effort generated enough support to secure supplies for at least six months. Local hunters have also stepped up, donating traditional country food like caribou and Arctic char that connect meal recipients with cultural foods many can no longer afford to hunt themselves.
Food insecurity in Nunavut exists on a scale difficult for many southern Canadians to comprehend. Statistics Canada data shows the average Nunavut household spends approximately $395 weekly on groceries—nearly double what families in Ontario or Quebec typically pay. A 2019 study from PROOF, a food insecurity research group at the University of Toronto, found 57 percent of households in Nunavut experienced some form of food insecurity, with nearly 36 percent facing severe food insecurity.
For Baker Lake’s 2,000 residents, the situation grew more precarious during the service interruption. Emma Tagoona, who teaches at the local school, noticed immediate impacts when the meal program temporarily shut down.
“I had students coming to class hungry, unable to focus,” Tagoona says. “We started keeping extra food at school, but it wasn’t enough. The food bank meals provided that reliable nutrition that many families just can’t afford right now.”
The challenges extend beyond simple food access. Traditional hunting—once the community’s food security backbone—has become increasingly difficult as climate change alters animal migration patterns and rising costs put equipment and fuel out of reach for many hunters.
“A snowmobile can cost $15,000 or more, and then you need specialized clothing, ammunition, gas—it adds up to thousands more,” explains Peter Tapatai, a local hunter who donates game to the food bank. “Our grandparents didn’t need cash to eat. Now you can’t hunt without it.”
The Nutrition North Canada subsidy program, designed to offset high food costs in remote communities, provides some relief but has faced criticism for inadequately addressing the full scope of northern food insecurity. A 2019 evaluation by the Government of Canada acknowledged the program’s limitations, noting it “has not fully addressed concerns related to the affordability of perishable, nutritious food.”
Despite these ongoing challenges, the restoration of Baker Lake’s hot meal service represents a community-driven response to immediate needs. The program operates three days weekly, serving approximately 150 meals per week with food boxes available for families to take home.
“What makes this work is that it’s not just about feeding people—it’s about doing it in a way that respects our culture and traditions,” says Uqayuittuq. “When we serve traditional foods, prepared in traditional ways, we’re nourishing both bodies and spirits.”
The renewed program has caught the attention of territorial officials. Last week, Nunavut Health Minister John Main visited the food bank and pledged to explore additional funding options to ensure the program’s sustainability.
“Community-based initiatives like Baker Lake’s food bank represent critical infrastructure,” Main noted during his visit. “We’re examining ways to create more stable funding mechanisms for these essential services.”
For residents like Sarah Nulliayuk, a 76-year-old elder who attends every meal service, the program’s return means more than just food security.
“I live alone, and it’s hard to cook for one person when everything costs so much,” she says through a translator. “Coming here, I eat well, but I also see my community. We talk, we share stories. This place feeds many hungers.”
As winter approaches—when food costs typically rise even higher—the Baker Lake Food Bank is working to stockpile supplies and expand its volunteer base. A partnership with the local high school now brings in student volunteers who earn community service credits while learning traditional food preparation methods.
The community’s determination to maintain this service highlights both the persistent challenges of northern food security and the resilience of those facing them. As one volunteer puts it: “When the government programs fall short, we step in. We won’t let our neighbors go hungry, not when we have solutions within our reach.”
With climate change accelerating and food prices continuing their upward trend, the struggle for food security in Canada’s North shows no signs of easing. But in Baker Lake, at least for now, the return of hot meals represents a small victory in an ongoing battle—one bowl of caribou stew at a time.
