Background
Northern Manitoba is a region where communities currently struggle with very high rates of poverty, food insecurity, and related health issues. But it was not always this way. The partners who created the Northern Manitoba Food, Culture & Community Collaborative seek to support communities to address these issues by supporting locally appropriate projects.
This is the first collaborative funding effort in Northern Manitoba. By sharing the experiences, resources, wisdom and desire for supportive change, and focusing our energies on Northern Manitoba, we expect to take part in creating a sustained and positive change in the north, and witnessing the blossoming health of northern people, economies and food systems, and the development of local capacity and community champions.
The collaborative brings together previously active northern support organizations while critically involving new support organizations in the work. Tides Canada, the national public foundation that hosts the collaborative, also supports communities in three territories and northern portions of other provinces that share similarities with Northern Manitoba.
This is the first collaborative funding effort in Northern Manitoba. By sharing the experiences, resources, wisdom and desire for supportive change, and focusing our energies on Northern Manitoba, we expect to take part in creating a sustained and positive change in the north, and witnessing the blossoming health of northern people, economies and food systems, and the development of local capacity and community champions.
The collaborative brings together previously active northern support organizations while critically involving new support organizations in the work. Tides Canada, the national public foundation that hosts the collaborative, also supports communities in three territories and northern portions of other provinces that share similarities with Northern Manitoba.
The Challenge & Opportunity
In many Northern Manitoba communities more than half of the adults have type II diabetes. Children as young as 5 are being diagnosed with this preventable disease. This is a health epidemic with repercussions including: community stress and dysfunction; extremely high provincial health costs; youth mental health challenges (particularly depression and suicide); and shorter life expectancies for northern people.
Historically these communities were strong and able to provide healthy foods for themselves. Northerners desire to break the cycle of poverty by re-skilling themselves and re-awakening appropriate traditions. Increasing the quality of locally available foods, and related community economic development, are key to improving population health and helping communities restore their hope and capacity to be positive change makers.
Historically these communities were strong and able to provide healthy foods for themselves. Northerners desire to break the cycle of poverty by re-skilling themselves and re-awakening appropriate traditions. Increasing the quality of locally available foods, and related community economic development, are key to improving population health and helping communities restore their hope and capacity to be positive change makers.
What is Community Economic Development?
We have decided to follow the Neechi Principles of Community Economic Development.
The Community Economic Development Principles as developed by NeechiFoods Worker Co-op include:
The Community Economic Development Principles as developed by NeechiFoods Worker Co-op include:
- Use of locally produced goods and services
- Production of goods and services for local use
- Local re-investment of profits
- Long-term employment of local residents
- Local skill development
- Local decision-making
- Public health
- Physical environment
- Neighbourhood stability
- Human dignity
- Support for other CED initiatives
