YELLOWKNIFE (October 13, 2010) - Communities across the Northwest Territories have harvested a bumper crop of produce ranging from potatoes and carrots to spinach and lettuce thanks to dedicated community gardeners and the Government of the Northwest Territories’ (GNWT) Small Scale Foods Program.

After a successful summer growing season, residents in communities across the territory have now harvested the crops they planted in the spring, including the three newest community gardens established this summer in Hay River, N’Dilo, and Behchokö. The GNWT plans to have gardens established in 29 NWT communities, by the end of 2010.

“I am happy to see so many community gardens thriving throughout the Northwest Territories, due in large part to the hard work and dedication of our residents,” said the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment Bob McLeod. “Increasing the amount of food grown at the community level is one way to bring down the cost of living in our territory. These gardens provide fresh, locally-grown produce to NWT communities.”

“Our Government is proud to support initiatives like the Small Scale Foods Program in the Northwest Territories,” said Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. “This is another great example of how Growing Forward is delivering flexible and responsive programs for the unique needs of farming communities across Canada.”

The community garden initiative is part of the GNWT’s Small Scale Foods Program, which is one of the programs in the bilateral Growing Forward Agreement signed in July of 2009 between the GNWT and the Government of Canada. Growing Forward, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative, attempts to build a vibrant, sustainable agriculture sector by attending to the local needs of a region. Governments are investing $1.3 billion over five years into Growing Forward programs.

The Small Scale Foods Program is another example of action being taken by the 16th Legislative Assembly to reduce the cost of living in all NWT communities as envisioned in the Northerners Working Together plan.

For more information, please contact:

Darren Campbell
Manager, Public Affairs and Communications
Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment
867-920-8696

Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
613-773-7972
1-866-345-7972