UFV researchers team up to support food security in Canada’s North

Two University of the Fraser Valley researchers are helping northern Indigenous communities strengthen their food sovereignty in the face of climate change.

Dr. Cindy Jardine and Dr. Lauren Erland—both Canada Research Chairs based at UFV in Abbotsford—have combined their expertise to support Indigenous partners in the Northwest Territories who are working to protect and expand access to traditional and locally grown foods.

Jardine, whose work focuses on community health, has spent years collaborating with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation (YKDFN). Erland, a plant scientist and berry horticulture researcher, saw an opportunity to bring horticultural knowledge to the table. Together, they secured a Catalyst grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to kickstart a new community-driven project focused on climate impacts and food security.

“Climate change is disproportionately impacting Indigenous Peoples in northern Canada,” Jardine said in a statement. “Rising temperatures, drought, floods, and forest fires are affecting the native plants communities have relied on for generations. Understanding how to preserve access to those foods—and where new agricultural opportunities might exist—is essential.”

Learning from youth, Elders, and the land

This fall, Jardine and Erland worked with children and youth in the Yellowknives Dene First Nation through two hands-on learning activities.

At the K’alemi Dene School, four- and five-year-olds participated in a Photo Voice project, using cameras to document the plants and berries they eat, where they gather them, and what they’re growing at school.

Older students took part in a geocaching challenge, hiking to GPS points to find traditional plants. Along the way, they tested soil pH, examined growing conditions, measured sweetness using a Brix refractometer, and watched videos of Elders explaining the cultural significance of each plant.

The pair also interviewed Elders to identify locally important food plants and created reference sheets with names in English, Latin, and the Wıı̀lıı̀deh Yatı language.

Erland says involving children is a powerful way to spark community interest. “Parents want to know what their kids are learning,” she said. “It naturally opens conversations about food security and priorities.”

A B.C. learning tour

The project also brought community members south for a two-day tour of food-growing sites in B.C., including a Ch’iyaqtel First Nation community garden, a vertical growing operation run by Archway Community Services in Abbotsford, and a traditional food forest at Kanaka Bar First Nation.

Participants later shared what they’d learned with an adult education class at Dechı̨ta Nàowo, the YKDFN’s post-secondary program.

“The climate is changing in Canada’s North,” said Erland. “That raises two big questions: what does it mean for existing food sources, and does it create opportunities for new ones? But introducing new foods only works if communities actually want to eat them.”

What comes next

The UFV researchers will meet with community members and the local school board to share early findings and discuss next steps. The results will guide a future joint proposal from YKDFN and UFV to further investigate food security challenges and test potential solutions.

The long-term goal: help northern Indigenous communities strengthen access to healthy, culturally appropriate foods—now and for future generations.

Jardine and Erland hope the work will support “a vibrant community of knowledges and practices” that bolsters food sovereignty and self-determination in the North.