Government of Canada, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada – Nutrition North Canada (NNC) Program

ByMaurice

Description:

Nutrition North Canada is a Government of Canada program that helps 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 soap, hand-sanitizers and personal hygiene products, sold by registered retailers, suppliers, and country food processors.

Comments on Funding:

Funding will take the form of a subsidy. NNC subsidies apply to all eligible items shipped to eligible communities by air, ice road, sealift or barge. Subsidy rates vary depending on the type of transportation used, the location of the community and the category of eligible food and non-food items.

Retailers and suppliers submit claims each month. The amount of the subsidy is calculated using this formula: subsidy level ($/kg) × weight of eligible item (kg) = $ subsidy payment.

Eligibility:

Applicants must:

  • be Northern retailers: food retailers operating stores in eligible communities;
  • be Southern suppliers: suppliers located in the South who sell food to northern retailers, eligible social institutions (schools, daycares, etc.), eligible commercial establishments (restaurants, hotels, etc.) or individuals in eligible communities (direct or personal orders). The “South” refers to any location in Canada other than the communities eligible for a subsidy under Nutrition North Canada (NNC).
  • be Country food processors/distributors: establishments that are registered, inspected and/or licensed by the government and produce food approved-for-export and are located in a community eligible for a subsidy under the program.

To be eligible, northern retailers must:

  • operate a store located in at least one eligible community;
  • sell eligible food in the above-mentioned store(s);
  • possess a valid Business Number issued by the Canada Revenue Agency;
  • be able to provide electronically a verifiable forecast in kilograms of monthly shipments of eligible food by level of subsidy and by eligible community for the upcoming fiscal year (the forecast must only include shipments by air);
  • be able to provide electronically, as per a predetermined schedule, updates of the verifiable forecast described above;
  • be able to submit electronically, as per a predetermined schedule and format, monthly subsidy claims and verifiable supporting documentation by eligible community (verifiable documentation includes invoices and matching air shipment waybills);
  • be able to provide electronically, as per a predetermined schedule and format, monthly itemized food shipment information by eligible community;
  • be able to provide electronically, as per a predetermined schedule and format, monthly food pricing reports by eligible community for a pre-determined list of items (i.e. Revised Northern Food Basket);
  • agree to make the program visible and the subsidy transparent to consumers through messages on cash register receipts and communication material, in-store signage and displays provided by Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs (CIRNAC);
  • agree to support nutrition education activities in local stores by working with community lay workers and health professionals funded by Health Canada/Public Health Agency of Canada;
  • agree to provide access to facilities and records for recipient audit purposes as required by CIRNAC;
  • agree to certify for each claim submission that the subsidy was passed on to consumers;
  • agree to conduct business engaged through NNC funding in a way that respects the Values and Ethics of the Government of Canada;
  • agree to the terms and conditions of the contribution agreement to be entered into with CIRNAC to govern the payment of the subsidy.

To be eligible, Southern suppliers must:

  • be retailers, wholesalers or distributors who operate a business located in Canada but not in a community eligible for a subsidy under the program;
  • sell eligible food to northern retailers, eligible social institutions, eligible commercial establishments or individuals in eligible communities;
  • possess a valid Business Number issued by the Canada Revenue Agency;
  • provide a list of existing and/or anticipated northern retail, social institution and commercial establishment clients, and the number of existing and/or anticipated individual clients (personal orders) by eligible community;
  • provide electronically a verifiable forecast in kilograms of monthly shipments of eligible food by level of subsidy and by eligible community for the upcoming fiscal year (e.g. April 1st to March 31st); the forecast must only include shipments by air;
  • provide electronically, as per a predetermined schedule, updates of the verifiable forecast described above;
  • submit electronically, as per a predetermined schedule and format, monthly claims and verifiable supporting documentation by eligible community and by client type (verifiable documentation includes invoices and matching air shipment waybills)
  • provide electronically, as per a predetermined schedule and format, monthly itemized food shipment information by eligible community and by client;
  • make the program visible and the subsidy transparent to consumers by identifying the total amount of NNC subsidy associated with each order on customers’ invoices, and by including communication material provided by CIRNAC with shipments;
  • provide access to facilities and records for recipient audit purposes as required by CIRNAC;
  • certify for each claim submission that the subsidy was passed on to consumers;
  • conduct business engaged through NNC funding in a way that respects the values and ethics of the Government of Canada;
  • agree to the terms and conditions of the contribution agreement to be entered into with CIRNAC to govern the payment of the subsidy.

Country food processors/distributors must:

  • be government-regulated and/or approved-for-export, commercial plants;
  • possess a valid Business Number issued by the Canada Revenue Agency;
  • provide a list of existing and/or anticipated northern retail, social institution and commercial establishment clients, and the number of existing and/or anticipated individual clients (personal orders) by eligible community;
  • provide electronically, a verifiable forecast in kilograms of monthly shipments of country food by level of subsidy and by eligible community for the upcoming fiscal year. The forecast must only include shipments by air;
  • provide electronically, as per a predetermined schedule, updates of the verifiable forecast described above;
  • submit electronically, as per a predetermined schedule and format, monthly claims and verifiable supporting documentation by eligible community and by client type (verifiable documentation includes invoices and matching air shipment waybills);
  • provide electronically, as per a predetermined schedule and format, monthly itemized shipment information by eligible community and by client;
  • make the program visible and the subsidy transparent to consumers by: a. identifying the total amount of NNC subsidy associated with each order on invoices, b. including communication material provided by CIRNAC with shipments.
  • provide access to facilities and records for recipient audit purposes as required by CIRNAC;
  • certify for each claim submission that the subsidy was passed on to consumers;
  • conduct business engaged through NNC funding in a way that respects the values and ethics of the Government of Canada;
  • agree to the terms and conditions of the contribution agreement to be entered into with CIRNAC to govern the payment of the subsidy.

Documentation Needed:

All applicants must submit:

  1. for each eligible community, a verifiable forecast in kilograms of monthly shipments of eligible food by level of subsidy for the upcoming fiscal year (e.g. April 1st to March 31st) (include only shipments by air);
  2. a clear explanation of how the following program requirements will be met:
  • a) capacity to submit electronically, as per a predetermined schedule and format, monthly claims and verifiable supporting documentation (invoices and matching air shipment waybills) by eligible community and by client type,
  • capacity to provide electronically, as per a predetermined schedule and format, monthly itemized food shipment information by eligible community and by client. Applicants must describe how product weights will be obtained (e.g. manually weighing food, using weights provided by your suppliers) and how the detailed reports will be produced.
  • capacity to make the program visible and the subsidy transparent to consumers: – through messages on cash register receipts and communication material, in-store signage and displays provided by CIRNAC, if Northern retailers; 

– through messages on cash register receipts and communication material, in-store signage and displays provided by CIRNAC, if Northern retailers;
– by clearly identifying the total amount of NNC subsidy (reduction) on customers’ invoices, and by including communication material provided by CIRNAC with shipments, if Southern suppliers or Country food processors/distributors.

  1. a copy of the applicant’s most recent audited financial statements, upon request.

Additionally:

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    1. Northern retailers must submit a list of stores (names and addresses) in eligible communities;
    2. Southern suppliers and Country food processors/distributors must submit a list of existing and/or anticipated northern retail, social institution and commercial establishment clients, and the number of existing and/or anticipated individual clients (personal orders) by eligible community.

    Other Things to Note:

    I. NNC has a subsidy budget of $103,158,558 for fiscal year 2020 to 2021. This budget grows by 5% each year in an attempt to keep pace with population growth, inflation, and the high costs of operating in isolated northern communities. 

    II. To be eligible for Nutrition North Canada, a community must be considered isolated and meet these requirements:

    1. lack year-round surface transportation (no permanent road, rail or marine access), excluding isolation caused by freeze-up and break-up that normally lasts less than 4 weeks at a time;
    2. for the Harvesters Support Grant, a community must be reliant on air transportation for more than 8 months each year;
    3. meet the territorial or provincial definition of a northern community;
    4. have an airport, post office, or grocery store;
    5. have a year-round population according to the national census.

    III. In Ontario, the following 27 communities are eligible for the program:

    1. Ogoki;
    2. Webequie;
    3. Lansdowne House;
    4. Eabamet Lake (Fort Hope);
    5. Summer Beaver;
    6. Wawakapewin;
    7. North Spirit Lake;
    8. Cat Lake;
    9. Poplar Hill;
    10. Deer Lake;
    11. Favourable Lake (Sandy Lake);
    12. Keewaywin;
    13. Sachigo Lake;
    14. Kasabonika;
    15. Angling Lake;
    16. Wunnummin Lake;
    17. Kingfisher Lake;
    18. Weagamow Lake;
    19. Pikangikum;
    20. Kashechewan;
    21. Fort Albany;
    22. Attawapiskat;
    23. Peawanuck;
    24. Fort Severn;
    25. Bearskin Lake;
    26. Muskrat Dam;
    27. Big Trout Lake.

    Program Contact:

    Nutrition North Canada

    About the author

    Maurice

    Maurice (Moe) Muise learned the ins-and-outs of government while an employee of the Government of Canada in Ottawa for 10 years. His current focus is helping small businesses in Ontario to identify and maximize government grants to grow their business. Click here to learn more about Moe’s background and how he can help your business.

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