What is Food Mail?

Food Mail is a Government of Canada program that pays part of the cost of shipping nutritious perishable food and other essential items by air to isolated northern communities that are not accessible year-round by road, rail or marine service. This subsidy makes it possible for retailers in these communities to sell fresh food at lower prices.

Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) manages the program and provides funding to Canada Post to cover part of the cost of transporting eligible items. Health Canada provides advice and guidance on nutrition. Canada Post provides Food Mail service by contracting with air carriers.

In these northern communities, fresh affordable food from the south is an important complement to traditional Aboriginal foods. With lower-cost nutritious food shipped by Food Mail, a healthy diet becomes more affordable. This promotes healthy eating.

Who benefits from the Food Mail Program?

There are approximately 140 isolated northern communities (90,000 people) in Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, Yukon, Labrador, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta that are eligible to receive Food Mail. Communities that are isolated only for short periods of time during freeze-up and break-up are not eligible.

Anyone in these communities, including retailers and individuals, can receive Food Mail provided that their suppliers in the south have a Food Mail account with Canada Post. People benefit from the program by shopping at local stores that use the Food Mail Program.

Where is the food shipped from?

There are designated entry points where Canada Post accepts food and non-food items under this program for each destination. Suppliers make their own arrangements to get the food to these entry points.

Where do the people receiving food pick up their orders?

Food Mail parcels must be picked up at the airport. They are not delivered to the post office or to homes or businesses.

What items are eligible?

Eligible items include:

• Nutritious perishable food such as fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables, milk, cheese, eggs, bread and meat;
• Non-perishable food such as canned food, cereal, pasta and baking supplies;
• Essential non-food items such as clothing, household supplies and personal care products.

Items not eligible include:

• Foods of little nutritional value such as pop, chips and candy;
• Some convenience perishable foods such as prepared sandwiches and fried chicken;
• Tobacco and alcohol.

What are the postage rates?

The rates are as follows:

For more information about becoming a Food Mail customer, contact Canada Post at 1-888-550-6333 or visit the Web site at www.canadapost.ca

For more information about the Food Mail Program, visit INAC's Web site at www.ainc-inac.gc.ca or contact the Food Mail Program Coordinator by phone at (819) 994-4810, fax at (819) 994-6769 or e-mail at foodmail@ainc-inac.gc.ca.