The provincial government hopes to promote consumption of affordable, healthy foods in northern Manitoba with a new pilot program in 10 remote communities.
Premier Greg Selinger unveiled the Affordable Food in Remote Manitoba (AFFIRM) in Churchill on Tuesday.
AFFIRM will be piloted this fall in Tadoule Lake, Brochet / Barren Lands, Shamattawa, Berens River, York Landing, Churchill, Pikwitonei, Ilford / War Lake, Thicket Portage and Pukatawagan.
Retailers in seven of the 10 communities will be eligible to receive a subsidy on fresh milk, vegetable and fruit purchases. The province said this will translate into lower prices for consumers.
For example, it is expected the subsidies will reduce the price of milk significantly, saving them up to $6.40 when buying a four-litre container, Healthy Living and Seniors Minister Deanne Crothers said.
Alternative methods of increasing access to milk, vegetables and fruits in Thicket Portage, Pikwitonei and Ilford/War Lake are being explored through the program since no retailers currently provide these healthy foods in those three communities, she added.
Selinger called the program an important step to address the lack of accessible affordable healthy foods in the North, which has been identified as a key contributor to higher rates of chronic disease and food insecurity.
