Retail Food Environments in the Canadian Arctic: Inuit Community Experiences ...

• Main Author: Donnelly, Tamara
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Université d'Ottawa | University of Ottawa 2024
• Subjects: food environments; Inuit; food governance; Indigenous; food accessibility; Arctic Canada; food costs; retail stores; inuit; Inuvialuit; Northwest Territories; Paulatuk
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.20381/ruor-30483; https://ruor.uottawa.ca/handle/10393/46460

In Indigenous communities across Northern Canada, food security is a critical public health issue caused and exacerbated by environmental changes, socio-economic challenges, and the lingering effects of colonialism. These communities frequently face limited or unpredictable access to affordable, nutritious, safe, and culturally appropriate foods, leading to alarming rates of food insecurity. In the community of Paulatuk, Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR), Northwest Territories (NWT), there is an increased dependency on retail food systems, which often fail to provide affordable and nutritious options, resulting in food insecurity and its subsequent social and psychological impacts. While commercial determinants of health and the association between food security and significant psychological stress and strain on communities are well-documented, the specific role of individual stores—particularly in contexts with limited retail competition and local community governance—remains under-researched. This thesis ...