Churchill, Manitoba — Canada
The Price
Up North
A head of romaine lettuce costs $4.59, and a bag of carrots costs $6.59. For thousands of Canadians living in remote northern communities, this is everyday life.
Churchill, Manitoba — Canada
A head of romaine lettuce costs $4.59, and a bag of carrots costs $6.59. For thousands of Canadians living in remote northern communities, this is everyday life.
Canada is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. Yet in communities like Churchill, Manitoba — accessible only by train or plane — families spend two to four times as much on groceries as those in southern cities. The reasons go back decades and touch on geography, infrastructure, and underinvestment in remote communities that researchers, organizations, and residents are working hard to address.
The Numbers
A Personal Note
Several summers ago, I had the opportunity to visit Churchill, Manitoba as part of a summer program for secondary school students. I stayed at the Churchill Northern Studies Centre, observed beluga whales in Hudson Bay, and spent time in one of Canada's most remote communities.
I also visited the local grocery store. The spending money I had budgeted for the trip did not go nearly as far as I had anticipated. While I returned home after a few weeks, the residents of Churchill have no such option, and there is no cheaper alternative available nearby.
Learn About Churchill →
What's Here
Understand Churchill's geography, why it depends on a single railway, and what happens to food prices when that railway fails.
Read More →Churchill is one example of a much wider issue. Explore the broader landscape of food insecurity across northern and Indigenous communities in Canada.
Read More →Find out what organizations are doing to address northern food insecurity — and how you can support their work right now.
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