Cost of the Revised Northern Food Basket in 2019-2020

Table of contents

Overview

The tables below show the cost of the Revised Northern Food Basket (RNFB) in communities eligible for the Nutrition North Canada (NNC) program. The amounts are estimates of what it cost to feed a family of 4 a healthy diet for 1 week.

For comparison purposes, the tables also show the cost of the RNFB in March 2011 (under the Food Mail Program) and March of each fiscal year of NNC's operation. The tables also provide information for the 2019 to 2020 quarters, to help monitor trends over time.

In communities eligible for a full subsidy under Nutrition North Canada the average cost of the Revised Northern Food Basket in March 2020 was $4.93, 1.17% less expensive than in March 2019. Lower by $9.34 (2.19%) compared to March 2011, prior to the launch of the NNC program.

According to Statistics Canada, food purchased from stores prices elsewhere in Canada raised by 2.4% between March 2019 and March 2020, and increasing by 16.9% over 9 years.

The cost of the Revised Northern Food Basket between March 2019 to March 2020 decreased in 53 communities in the regions of Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Ontario and Quebec. Overall, in 73 eligible communities out of 116 the RNFB cost growth was at a rate lower than the 2.4% Consumer Price Index growth rate for food purchased outside of the RNFB program in the same period.

Cost of the Revised Northern Food Basket in 2019 to 2020

The cost of the basket was calculated with price data provided by the following retailers:

Notes:

n/a = not available

The cost of the Revised Northern Food Basket is calculated using the price data received from registered Northern retailers with NNC that have a store in an eligible community.

The cost of the RNFB may not be available in the communities where local stores are not registered with the NNC program but access the subsidy by purchasing eligible items from registered suppliers. RBFB costs may also not be available for communities where the provided food price data could not be used accurately and consistently to calculate the cost of the RNFB.

Eligible communities (excluding Nain and Rigolet) in Newfoundland and Labrador lack a registered Northern retailer with NNC. Therefore the program is not able to estimate the cost of food in those communities. Food price data for Nain and Rigolet are collected from the listed store in the communities.

Arctic Co-operatives Ltd. price data from co-op stores in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories have been excluded in the calculation of the cost of the basket in order to maintain the consistency of the current report with the previous ones.

Quebec North Shore communities are only eligible for a few weeks when marine services are not available. Gethsémani (La Romaine) is the only community in the region with NNC registered retailer.

The RNFB cost in Norman Wells in March 2011 is missing price data from one of the community's registered retailers and that is why it is much lower than the other periods.

The RNFB cost is not available for Old Crow, Yukon. The community lacks reliable price data to calculate the basket cost for the 67 items.

◊ Berens River, Williams Harbour, Tuktoyaktuk, Black Lake and Stony Rapids were removed from the program in 2018 as they no longer met eligibility requirements. Therefore the number of program eligible communities decreased to 116. For consistency and comparative purposes the tables display the RNFB cost for the above communities in the previous periods.

The cost of the Revised Northern Food Basket was reviewed for all fiscal years. A modification of the calculation methodology was made for the frozen apple juice concentrate and frozen orange juice concentrate. To reflect quantity of serving of 33mL for frozen apple juice concentrate and 282mL for frozen orange juice concentrate instead of measuring the reconstituted weight for consumption of the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) or the Adequate Intakes (AIs).

Average

Communities eligible for a full subsidy Cost of the Revised Northern Food Basket ($) Difference between March 2011 and March 2020 Difference between March 2019 and March 2020
March 2011 March 2019 June 2019 Sept 2019 Dec 2019 March 2020 $ % $ %
Average 426.48 422.07 422.04 421.69 418.72 417.13 -9.34 -2.19% -4.93 -1.17%

Alberta

Communities eligible for a full subsidy Cost of the Revised Northern Food Basket ($) Difference between March 2011 and March 2020 Difference between March 2019 and March 2020
March 2011 March 2019 June 2019 Sept 2019 Dec 2019 March 2020 $ % $ %
Fort Chipewyan n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

Manitoba

Communities eligible for a full subsidy Cost of the Revised Northern Food Basket ($) Difference between March 2011 and March 2020 Difference between March 2019 and March 2020
March 2011 March 2019 June 2019 Sept 2019 Dec 2019 March 2020 $ % $ %
Berens River ◊ n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Brochet n/a 438.82 440.14 459.06 441.90 426.84 n/a n/a -11.98 -2.73%
Gods Lake Narrows 375.58 404.42 402.17 400.64 398.27 384.58 9.00 2.40% -19.84 -4.91%
Granville Lake n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Gods River 387.49 404.82 402.55 402.10 399.99 405.53 18.04 4.66% 0.71 0.18%
Island Lake (Garden Hill) 413.70 393.91 393.47 397.58 395.38 403.54 -10.16 -2.46% 9.63 2.44%
Lac Brochet 420.37 421.49 419.20 418.11 425.01 415.82 -4.55 -1.08% -5.67 -1.35%
Little Grand Rapids 410.72 392.35 385.11 383.30 382.74 388.98 -21.74 -5.29% -3.37 -0.86%
Negginan (Poplar River) 414.50 417.34 408.05 415.14 411.02 414.82 0.32 0.08% -2.52 -0.60%
Oxford House 372.03 395.48 389.00 383.27 386.63 391.03 19.00 5.11% -4.45 -1.13%
Pauingassi n/a 411.73 413.46 415.56 404.46 406.71 n/a n/a -5.02 -1.22%
Red Sucker Lake 437.62 415.04 411.58 416.67 406.94 411.63 -25.99 -5.94% -3.41 -0.82%
Shamattawa n/a 425.15 418.16 413.55 413.93 422.48 n/a n/a -2.67 -0.63%
St. Theresa Point 406.53 413.55 411.01 412.02 416.78 414.76 8.23 2.02% 1.21 0.29%
Tadoule Lake n/a 445.98 450.31 451.27 446.25 438.34 n/a n/a -7.64 -1.71%
Waasagomach 419.49 435.56 435.90 435.61 418.35 434.54 15.05 3.59% -1.02 -0.23%
York Landing n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

Newfoundland and Labrador

Communities eligible for a full subsidy Cost of the Revised Northern Food Basket ($) Difference between March 2011 and March 2020 Difference between March 2019 and March 2020
March 2011 March 2019 June 2019 Sept 2019 Dec 2019 March 2020 $ % $ %
Hopedale 353.96 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Makkovik 311.75 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Nain 310.78 451.81 463.19 476.91 481.53 438.20 127.42 41.00% -13.61 -3.01%
Natuashish n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Postville n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Rigolet n/a 366.34 359.05 379.17 373.77 364.38 n/a n/a -1.96 -0.54%
Black Tickle n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Williams Harbour ◊ n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

Northwest Territoires

Beaufort-Delta

Communities eligible for a full subsidy Cost of the Revised Northern Food Basket ($) Difference between March 2011 and March 2020 Difference between March 2019 and March 2020
March 2011 March 2019 June 2019 Sept 2019 Dec 2019 March 2020 $ % $ %
Aklavik 450.35 448.42 449.46 444.88 443.97 444.33 -6.02 -1.34% -4.09 -0.91%
Paulatuk 489.38 486.71 466.70 452.51 463.54 457.54 -31.84 -6.51% -29.17 -5.99%
Sachs Harbour n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Tuktoyaktuk ◊ 443.62 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Ulukhaktok (Holman) 468.35 446.39 465.60 460.57 451.42 458.45 -9.90 -2.11% 12.06 2.70%

Great Slave Lake

Communities eligible for a full subsidy Cost of the Revised Northern Food Basket ($) Difference between March 2011 and March 2020 Difference between March 2019 and March 2020
March 2011 March 2019 June 2019 Sept 2019 Dec 2019 March 2020 $ % $ %
Gametì (Rae Lakes) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Lutsel K'e n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Wekweti (Snare Lake) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Wha Ti n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

Deh Cho

Communities eligible for a full subsidy Cost of the Revised Northern Food Basket ($) Difference between March 2011 and March 2020 Difference between March 2019 and March 2020
March 2011 March 2019 June 2019 Sept 2019 Dec 2019 March 2020 $ % $ %
Sambaa K'e (Trout Lake) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

Sahtu

Communities eligible for a full subsidy Cost of the Revised Northern Food Basket ($) Difference between March 2011 and March 2020 Difference between March 2019 and March 2020
March 2011 March 2019 June 2019 Sept 2019 Dec 2019 March 2020 $ % $ %
Colville Lake n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Deline 449.99 417.08 407.68 416.04 425.59 413.42 -36.57 -8.13% -3.66 -0.88%
Norman Wells 394.95 516.30 516.56 515.67 518.63 516.73 121.78 30.83% 0.43 0.08%
Fort Good Hope 463.96 458.64 453.55 445.48 430.49 459.81 -4.15 -0.89% 1.17 0.26%
Tulita 437.49 457.06 466.53 474.91 463.49 457.5 20.01 4.57% 0.44 0.10%

Nunavut

Baffin

Communities eligible for a full subsidy Cost of the Revised Northern Food Basket ($) Difference between March 2011 and March 2020 Difference between March 2019 and March 2020
March 2011 March 2019 June 2019 Sept 2019 Dec 2019 March 2020 $ % $ %
Arctic Bay 494.97 432.45 430.15 433.13 431.97 428.77 -66.20 -13.37% -3.68 -0.85%
Cape Dorset 469.20 439.28 452.19 454.60 458.34 442.79 -26.41 -5.63% 3.51 0.80%
Clyde River 467.42 457.02 456.02 430.91 443.86 436.69 -30.73 -6.57% -20.33 -4.45%
Grise Fiord n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Hall Beach 448.48 401.75 409.25 407.82 412.64 404.07 -44.41 -9.90% 2.32 0.58%
Igloolik 459.43 421.75 425.17 426.37 417.16 422.37 -37.06 -8.07% 0.62 0.15%
Iqaluit 429.15 407.18 405.62 416.57 403.09 405.71 -23.44 -5.46% -1.47 -0.36%
Kimmirut 467.83 419.36 424.87 414.92 409.84 415.58 -52.25 -11.17% -3.78 -0.90%
Pangnirtung 506.79 467.77 471.22 475.05 481.17 473.96 -32.83 -6.48% 6.19 1.32%
Pond Inlet 454.43 410.43 418.23 416.91 409.90 409.87 -44.56 -9.81% -0.56 -0.14%
Qikiqtarjuaq 451.23 438.75 448.73 441.13 440.30 438.42 -12.81 -2.84% -0.33 -0.08%
Resolute n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Sanikiluaq 439.83 452.69 468.90 465.91 459.03 444.64 4.81 1.09% -8.05 -1.78%

Kitikmeot

Communities eligible for a full subsidy Cost of the Revised Northern Food Basket ($) Difference between March 2011 and March 2020 Difference between March 2019 and March 2020
March 2011 March 2019 June 2019 Sept 2019 Dec 2019 March 2020 $ % $ %
Cambridge Bay 439.94 427.95 429.78 417.78 415.83 417.54 -22.40 -5.09% -10.41 -2.43%
Gjoa Haven 463.09 454.83 456.78 464.25 464.53 459.57 -3.52 -0.76% 4.74 1.04%
Kugaaruk n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Kugluktuk 492.47 446.70 436.53 445.80 429.96 426.21 -66.26 -13.45% -20.49 -4.59%
Taloyoak 483.52 478.24 479.64 483.38 486.99 475.97 -7.55 -1.56% -2.27 -0.47%

Kivalliq

Communities eligible for a full subsidy Cost of the Revised Northern Food Basket ($) Difference between March 2011 and March 2020 Difference between March 2019 and March 2020
March 2011 March 2019 June 2019 Sept 2019 Dec 2019 March 2020 $ % $ %
Arviat 456.22 390.70 387.07 387.24 386.02 390.94 -65.28 -14.31% 0.24 0.06%
Baker Lake 443.53 392.09 378.95 389.33 381.91 382.14 -61.39 -13.84% -9.95 -2.54%
Coral Harbour 465.72 433.17 419.79 421.04 416.61 419.94 -45.78 -9.83% -13.23 -3.05%
Chesterfield Inlet 449.59 417.23 416.62 416.25 412.77 415.05 -34.54 -7.68% -2.18 -0.52%
Naujaat (Repulse Bay) 448.65 416.77 413.93 413.48 413.35 413.35 -35.30 -7.87% -3.42 -0.82%
Rankin Inlet 421.68 391.92 397.14 383.96 374.15 380.16 -41.52 -9.85% -11.76 -3.00%
Whale Cove n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

Ontario

Communities eligible for a full subsidy Cost of the Revised Northern Food Basket ($) Difference between March 2011 and March 2020 Difference between March 2019 and March 2020
March 2011 March 2019 June 2019 Sept 2019 Dec 2019 March 2020 $ % $ %
Angling Lake n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Attawapiskat 460.05 437.84 444.30 434.28 437.74 437.97 -22.08 -4.80% 0.13 0.03%
Bearskin Lake 452.89 446.85 448.34 439.38 436.59 441.96 -10.93 -2.41% -4.89 -1.09%
Cat Lake n/a 419.62 413.26 408.60 401.57 389.6 n/a n/a -30.02 -7.15%
Deer Lake n/a 424.97 421.87 416.97 417.53 413.09 n/a n/a -11.88 -2.80%
Eabamet Lake (Fort Hope) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Big Trout Lake n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Fort Albany 452.89 423.56 421.40 417.86 411.73 412.09 -40.80 -9.01% -11.47 -2.71%
Favourable Lake (Sandy Lake) n/a 418.66 400.11 402.31 397.91 401.76 n/a n/a -16.90 -4.04%
Fort Severn 427.88 453.06 445.45 445.56 440.00 448.3 20.42 4.77% -4.76 -1.05%
Kashechewan 452.23 440.72 439.91 430.85 431.45 426.68 -25.55 -5.65% -14.04 -3.19%
Keewaywin n/a 489.57 477.26 467.96 475.49 470.46 n/a n/a -19.11 -3.90%
Kasabonika n/a 448.91 434.09 434.29 434.00 429.53 n/a n/a -19.38 -4.32%
Kingfisher Lake n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Lansdowne House n/a 431.99 426.57 439.48 420.04 409.66 n/a n/a -22.33 -5.17%
Muskrat Dam n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
North Spirit Lake n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Ogoki n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Peawanuck 436.96 476.83 471.97 476.91 474.71 477.41 40.45 9.26% 0.58 0.12%
Pikangikum n/a 393.67 383.77 390.35 392.18 390.5 n/a n/a -3.17 -0.81%
Poplar Hill n/a 401.54 395.22 392.15 389.88 385.71 n/a n/a -15.83 -3.94%
Sachigo Lake n/a 458.45 447.17 441.91 436.96 438.38 n/a n/a -20.07 -4.38%
Summer Beaver n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Wawakapewin n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Webequie n/a 471.69 469.88 466.86 450.74 449.49 n/a n/a -22.20 -4.71%
Weagamow Lake n/a 399.78 391.42 394.74 395.24 397.77 n/a n/a -2.01 -0.50%
Wunnummin Lake n/a 412.56 412.09 408.76 404.79 403.38 n/a n/a -9.18 -2.23%

Quebec

Communities eligible for a full subsidy Cost of the Revised Northern Food Basket ($) Difference between March 2011 and March 2020 Difference between March 2019 and March 2020
March 2011 March 2019 June 2019 Sept 2019 Dec 2019 March 2020 $ % $ %
Akulivik 390.75 396.05 406.59 411.67 412.87 407.6 16.85 4.31% 11.56 2.92%
Aupaluk 367.82 369.11 382.19 377.54 373.23 371.35 3.53 0.96% 2.24 0.61%
Inukjuak 398.10 387.13 397.28 401.59 399.00 395.24 -2.86 -0.72% 8.11 2.09%
Ivujivik 367.82 372.05 376.03 379.58 376.24 370.1 2.28 0.62% -1.95 -0.52%
Kangiqsualujjuaq 386.02 382.17 392.70 381.34 379.43 383.32 -2.69 -0.70% 1.16 0.30%
Kangiqsujuaq 381.18 381.92 390.70 385.94 387.18 381.16 -0.01 0.00% -0.75 -0.20%
Kangirsuk 399.34 385.52 393.36 394.46 385.48 383.45 -15.88 -3.98% -2.07 -0.54%
Kuujjuaq 404.69 372.69 383.23 377.88 379.98 381.79 -22.90 -5.66% 9.11 2.44%
Kuujjuarapik 391.80 366.67 370.86 372.74 373.23 372.27 -19.53 -4.98% 5.60 1.53%
Puvirnituq 387.65 407.57 418.14 414.76 405.18 408.81 21.17 5.46% 1.25 0.31%
Quaqtaq 367.82 374.28 381.05 378.35 370.22 370.18 2.36 0.64% -4.10 -1.10%
Salluit 388.48 394.83 404.87 407.81 407.81 403.71 15.23 3.92% 8.88 2.25%
Tasiujaq 367.82 381.25 381.48 376.29 374.02 378.75 10.93 2.97% -2.50 -0.66%
Umiujaq 394.94 382.00 382.84 383.00 382.63 378.89 -16.05 -4.06% -3.11 -0.81%
Chevery n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Gethsémani (La Romaine) n/a 347.14 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Harrington Harbour n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
La Tabatière n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Mutton Bay n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Port-Menier n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Saint-Augustin / Pakuashipi n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Tête-à-la-Baleine n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

Saskatchewan

Communities eligible for a full subsidy Cost of the Revised Northern Food Basket ($) Difference between March 2011 and March 2020 Difference between March 2019 and March 2020
March 2011 March 2019 June 2019 Sept 2019 Dec 2019 March 2020 $ % $ %
Black Lake ◊ n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Fond-du-Lac n/a 434.60 436.88 441.92 436.69 435.31 n/a n/a 0.71 0.16%
Stony Rapids ◊ n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Uranium City n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Wollaston Lake n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

Yukon

Communities eligible for a full subsidy Cost of the Revised Northern Food Basket ($) Difference between March 2011 and March 2020 Difference between March 2019 and March 2020
March 2011 March 2019 June 2019 Sept 2019 Dec 2019 March 2020 $ % $ %
Old Crow 505.06 495.57 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

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