Iqaluit’s Food System under Climatic Stress A case study of the 2010/11 extreme winter
Sara thing!
1. McGill University 2. ᖃᐅᔨᒋᐊᖅᑏᑦ Qaujigiartiit Health Research Centre
by Sara
Statham and Dr. James Ford
Introduction Significant and rapid climate change is predicted for Arctic regions, and there is evidence that it is already occurring. These changes have implications for Canadian Inuit, many of whom depend on hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. Varying environmental conditions impact many dimensions of the traditional food system, thus impacting food security. Winter 2010/2011 brought extreme environmental conditions throughout the Canadian Arctic. The aim of this project is to determine whether these extreme environmental conditions impacted the ability of hunters to obtain country food and whether this caused food insecurity at the community level. A traditional food system involves all processes associated with hunting, harvesting, preparing, sharing, and consuming foods obtained from local natural resources. When this system is stressed so that food is not available, accessible, or of sufficient quality, food insecurity occurs. Food insecurity has been identified as a significant health problem for Inuit throughout Nunavut. Food insecurity is influenced by climate change, as environmental conditions impact the availability, accessibility, and quality of wildlife that Inuit depend upon for food.
This case study in Iqaluit, Nunavut combines scientific knowledge and Inuit knowledge. Methods involved collection and analysis of instrumental data, interviews with 25 local hunters, and surveys with 100 public housing residents
This research was conducted by Sara Statham (BSc, MA) who is a graduate student at McGill University working under the supervision of Dr. James Ford.
“Very knowledgeable hunters have had accidents [this year], and that says a lot, to me.” “It’s really hard when I have no skidoo or friends to go out on the land with”
“This year there was barely any country food. Everyone is searching for it.” “These organizations help a lot of people in Iqaluit. People know things will be OK because they can come here”
Findings Environmental conditions during winter 2010/2011 were extreme
Reduced consumption of country food contributed to health problems
Winter 2010/2011 involved significantly warmer temperatures that contributed to the latest freeze-up on record, which didn’t occur until January 24, 2011 – 59 days later than the long term average. When the sea ice finally formed, hunters noted that it was more dangerous and unstable than previous years. Sea ice break-up occurred earlier than normal, contributing to a shorter sea ice season and longer open water season. Conditions on the land were not as extreme as on the ice, although freeze-thaw cycles caused unfavourable icy conditions.
Public housing residents described physical health problems (i.e. digestive difficulties, food cravings), and mental health problems (i.e. stress from worrying about food, loss of identity), as they lacked both the nutritional and cultural components of country food.
Poor conditions made it more difficult to harvest wildlife and obtain country food Hunters noted reduced harvests of both caribou and seal during winter 2010/2011 due to variation in animal distribution and the hunters’ ability to obtain wildlife. Public housing residents said that there was less caribou and seal available to eat. Most people were able to catch and eat Arctic char.
Hunters and community members displayed resilience People in Iqaluit employed multiple adaptive strategies and coping mechanisms to deal with increased stress to the traditional food system. Hunters dealt with environmental stresses (i.e. altered hunting routes, took more precautions) while residents dealt with food-related stresses (i.e. improved financial awareness, used community food programs).
Food insecurity is a problem amongst public housing residents 54% of households did not have enough money to buy store food and could not get country food during winter 2010/2011. This was more prevalent than previous years when 46% of households affirmed this statement.
Results continue on following page.
Findings Use of food-related coping mechanisms and community food programs increased
Sharing networks and commercial sources of country food compensated for limitations
Public housing residents more often reported substituting food (eating less preferable foods because they are either easier to access or more affordable), reducing food intake (decreasing the size of meal portions or skipping meals altogether), and eating elsewhere (going to a friend’s or family member’s house to eat due to a lack of food in their own home) during winter 2010/2011 compared to previous years. They also more often reported using the Food Bank, Soup Kitchen, and Tukisigiarvik Centre.
To deal with limited country food supplies, public housing residents relied on sharing networks both within Iqaluit and between Nunavut communities. They also relied on commercial sources of country food, including the local retail store Iqaluit Enterprises, the Country Food Market, and the Iqaluit Sell/Swap group on Facebook.
Vulnerability is experienced more acutely by some than others
Food security was negatively impacted by socioeconomic determinants including limited access to financial resources, lack of budgeting skills, increased hunting costs, a deteriorating traditional knowledge base, strained sharing networks, as well as poverty and social issues.
Public housing residents who nutritionally rely on country food instead of store food, who financially rely on income support instead of waged employment, and who have weak sharing networks instead of strong sharing networks experienced more food insecurity.
Broader socioeconomic factors worsened the impact of the climatic extremes
“When they catch a caribou, they hide it now. Even relatives. People are greedy now because there is less. Some people keep their freezers in their bedroom.�
Country Food Sharing Between Nunavut Communities 1
100 600
Number of People Sharing
5 10
6000
Community Population Sizes
Iqaluit
Resolute
Grise Fjord
Arviat
Baker Lake
Taloyoak Arctic Bay
Rankin Inlet
Pond Inlet
Igloolik
1600
1200
400
Hall beach Clyde River 800 Coral Harbour
Cape Dorset
Qikiqtarjuak
Pangnirtung
Kimmirut
0
Distance from Iqaluit (Kilometeres)
Policy Responses Hunting and harvesting
Sharing and Distributing
The Hunters and Trappers Association could host roundtable discussions to provide a platform for hunters to share their experiences, describe their challenges, and offer their recommendations (i.e. increasing their safety). The Nunavut Harvester Support Program’s Capital Equipment Program could provide cooperative equipment to allow financially insecure hunters to participate in subsistence activities (i.e. improving their ability to go boating during the long open-water season). It could also offer gasoline subsidies to permit hunters to travel increasingly far distances (i.e. increasing their ability to hunt distant caribou near Amadjuak Lake).
More frequent Country Food Markets could increase access to traditional foods for those who lack hunters in their household or are not engaged in strong sharing networks. This will require increased long-term funding for Project Nunavut. However, public dialogue should occur with regards to their development and potential impact on traditional values of sharing. Subsidies for country food could be incorporated into the next food program to increase the viability of inter-community sharing. Expanding this subsidy beyond commercially-produced country food would improve the ability of Northerners to obtain traditional foods from one another.
Preparing and consuming
Broader Socioeconomic Factors
Local organizations could offer their kitchen spaces to the community to provide a location for people to prepare food and share cooking skills. A nutrition program, similar to the Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program, could be created to teach community members about health and wellness. However, this program should target a broad audience rather than require participants to meet specific eligibility criteria. Community food programs, such as the Food Bank and Soup Kitchen, could incorporate country foods into their provisions. The Tukisigiarvik Centre has taken a more “northern” approach to food programs, and this has proven to be successful amongst public housing residents.
Revision of public housing and the income support program is required to reduce disincentives to employment. Financial selfsufficiency is especially important, as those on income support were more likely to not have enough money to meet household needs, use multiple community food programs, and have an insecure country food status. The issue of poverty in Iqaluit must be acknowledged and addressed. The Government of Nunavut’s “The Makimaniq Plan: A Shared Approach to Poverty Reduction,” which promises to tackle poverty across the territory, sets various goals that the government and its partners hope to achieve. The Makimaniq Plan should be financially, politically, and socially supported.
Data Tables Individual Characteristics
Household Characteristics
Sex % Female 64 Male 36
What is your primary household income source? % Working 38 Income support 25 Old Age Pension 14 Working and income support 10 Other 8 Working and Old Age Pension 5
Age 19 or younger 2 20-29 25 30-39 14 40-49 25 50-59 8 60-69 12 70 or older 14 Originally from Iqaluit % Yes 52 No 48 Province of origin % Nunavut 94 Quebec 4 Ontario 1 Other 1 Years living in Iqaluit Less than 5 Between 5 and 10 Between 10 and 20 More than 20 Not applicable
% 5 10 13 20 52
Occupation % Worker 28 Unemployed 20 Retired 20 Stay-at-home parent 19 Other 7 Worker and hunter 3 Hunter 3
Is your income to be enough for your householdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basic needs? % Always 15 Often 19 Sometimes 27 Rarely 24 Never 15 # of people living in the household % 1-2 40 3-4 31 5-6 23 7-8 6 # of children (<18) living in household % 0 45 1-2 40 3-4 13 5-6 2 # of full-time workers living in household % 0 52 1 36 2 9 3 2 Other 1
# of part-time workers living in household % 0 74 1 25 2 1 # of full-time hunters living in household % 0 89 1 10 2 1 # of part-time hunters living in household % 0 70 1 25 2 5
Country Food & Sharing Where do you get your country food? % Family 81 Friends 78 Iqaluit Enterprises 43 Tukisigiarvik 26 Country Food Market 25 Elder’s Centre 4 Do you have enough country food in the spring? % More than enough 8 Enough 49 Not enough 40 Don’t know 3 Do you have enough country food in the summer? % More than enough 18 Enough 50 Not enough 31 Don’t know 1
Food Security & Coping Mechanisms Seal availability/accessibility during winter 2010/2011 compared to previous years % Increased 9 Stayed the same 27 Decreased 49 Don’t know 15
Were there times where you could not afford store food and could not obtain country food during winter 2010/2011? % Yes 54 No 44 Don’t know 2
Seal consumption during winter 2010/2011 compared to previous years % Increased 2 Stayed the same 40 Decreased 51 Don’t know 7
Were there times where you could not afford store food and could not obtain country food during previous years? % Yes 46 No 52 Don’t know 2
Caribou availability/accessibility during winter 2010/2011 compared to previous years % Increased 7 Stayed the same 10 Decreased 81 Don’t know 2
Did you use the following community food programs during winter 2010/2011? % Food Bank 46 Soup Kitchen 29 Tukisigiarvik 23 Other 5 None 47 Don’t know 2
Do you have enough country food in the fall? % More than enough 9 Enough 41 Not enough 48 Don’t know 2
Caribou consumption during winter 2010/2011 compared to previous years % Increased 9 Stayed the same 34 Decreased 56 Don’t know 1
Do you have enough country food in the winter? % More than enough 9 Enough 42 Not enough 47 Don’t know 2
Arctic char availability/accessibility in winter 2010/2011 compared to previous years % Increased 28 Stayed the same 47 Decreased 18 Don’t know 7
Do you share your country food with friends and/or family? % Always 62 Often 19 Sometimes 16 Rarely 1 Never 2
Arctic char consumption during winter 2010/2011 compared to previous years % Increased 16 Stayed the same 59 Decreased 19 Don’t know 6
Do your friends and/or family share their country food with you? % Always 60 Often 18 Sometimes 16 Rarely 3 Never 3
Did you use the following community food programs during previous years? % Food Bank 35 Soup Kitchen 26 Tukisigiarvik 21 Other 5 None 49 Don’t know 2 Did you use the following coping mechanisms during winter 2010/2011? % Substituted food 63 Ate less 46 Ate elsewhere 38 Sold belongings 17 Did you use the following coping mechanisms programs during previous years? % Substituted food 54 Ate less 37 Ate elsewhere 36 Sold belongings 20
The authors are grateful to the community members who shared their experiences and knowledge with the research team. We are also thankful to Daniel Kaludjak, David Nakashuk, Graham McDowell, and Peter Adams who helped conduct interviews and surveys, as well as Dr. William Gough and Rick Siewierski who collected and analyzed the instrumental data. We are appreciative of the support of various organizations in Iqaluit who helped make this research project a success, including the Nunavut Research Institute, Nunavut Arctic College, Hunters and Trappers Association, Iqaluit Housing Authority, and Nunavut Housing Corporation. Will Vanderbilt designed this booklet. Funding for this research was made available through Nasivvik Centre for Inuit Health and Changing Environments, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Global Environmental and Climate Change Centre, Northern Scientific Training Program, and ArcticNet.
For more information about this research, visit http://ccadapt.ca/sarafoodsecurity or contact sara.statham@mail.mcgill.ca