Nutrition North Canada (NNC) Program
Nutrition North Canada (NNC) is a Government of Canada program that helps isolated, northern communities make nutritious food and some essential items more affordable and more accessible.
NNC subsidizes a list of nutritious eligible foods, as well as certain non-food items such as diapers and personal hygiene products, sold by registered retailers, suppliers, country food processors and local food growers.
Offered by Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC)
Amount
Subsidy applied against the total cost of an eligible product (including product purchasing cost, transportation, insurance and overhead) shipped to an eligible community; rates vary by type of transportation, location of the community and category of item (high, medium or low levels by air); registered businesses are reimbursed through monthly claims (subsidy budget of $144.8 million for 2024 to 2025)
Quick eligibility check
Who can apply
NNC subsidizes a list of nutritious eligible foods, as well as certain non-food items such as diapers and personal hygiene products, sold by registered retailers, suppliers, country food processors and local food growers. Food banks and charitable organizations are also eligible for the subsidy.
For profit businesses must pass on the full subsidy to consumers.
If you have a business or charitable organization that operates in or serves one or more of our eligible communities and are interested in registering with NNC, visit Accessing the subsidy.
Registered food banks and other charitable organizations which serve eligible communities, without profit, can claim the subsidy for all eligible items shipped to an eligible community, at the same rates as received by local retailers.
Northern retailers
Retailers who operate stores located in eligible communities and who sell eligible food and non-food items. These retailers are registered as a business with the Canada Revenue Agency and have a contribution agreement with CIRNAC to govern the funds (the subsidy) they receive under the program.
Registered suppliers
Suppliers and wholesalers who operate a business located in Canada and who supply food and non-food items that are eligible under the program. They are registered as a business with the Canada Revenue Agency and have a contribution agreement with CIRNAC to govern the funds (the subsidy) they receive under the program. Suppliers provide eligible products to small community retailers, eligible institutions, establishments and individuals living in an eligible community through direct/personal orders.
About the funding
The subsidy is applied against the total cost of an eligible product (including product purchasing cost, transportation, insurance and overhead) shipped by air, ice road, sealift or barge to an eligible community. This means that the price you pay for these items is cheaper than it otherwise would be. It also means that charitable organizations can donate food to isolated communities at a reduced cost.
For local growers, the subsidy is also applied against the total cost of an eligible product, to offset growing and transportation costs.
NNC subsidies apply to all eligible items shipped to eligible communities by air, ice road, sealift or barge. Subsidy rates vary depending on:
- type of transportation used
Show all funding details
- location of the community
- category of eligible food and non-food items
By air
There are 3 subsidy levels for items shipped by air:
- high
- medium
- low
Items subsidized under each level are determined with input from Indigenous and community partners and include culturally appropriate and nutritious foods. More savings are provided to the most nutritious, perishable foods. In addition, savings are also applied to less perishable foods and essential non-food items.
Seasonal surface transportation
Eligible communities that use winter roads, sealifts or barges to ship food seasonally receive a subsidy rate determined by the location of the community.
NNC subsidizes commercially-inspected country and traditional foods such as Arctic char, caribou, goose and muktuk when purchased from a local store or processing plant recognized by the program.
For 2024 to 2025, NNC's subsidy has a budget of $144.8 million. This budget increases by roughly 5% each year in an attempt to keep pace with population growth, inflation, and the high costs of operating in isolated northern communities.
Registered businesses and charitable organizations submit monthly claims. These claims outline how many kilograms of eligible items they shipped to eligible communities. For local producers, the claim reflects how much food was produced and distributed in the community. These claims are reviewed independently by an accredited third-party to ensure that the NNC subsidy was applied correctly. Once a claim is reviewed, NNC reimburses the registered business or charitable organization for the amount recommended by the third party.
Retail subsidy
An amount of money that the federal government transfers to registered northern retailers and suppliers in the program to help reduce the cost of nutritious food in eligible isolated, northern communities.
