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EFFORTS UNDER WAY TO IMPROVE FOOD QUALITY ON THE LABRADOR COAST

OTTAWA, ONTARIO ( January 23, 2002) - Food shipped to isolated communities along the Labrador coast as part of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada's Food Mail Program is now being inspected to ensure that it meets quality standards. These inspections are part of a pilot project started by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) and Canada Post to respond to concerns about the quality of food shipped under the Food Mail Program.

The pilot project, started in 2001, includes the development and implementation of new guidelines and training on how to properly package, store and transport perishable foods. The training, provided by Professor Jean-Pierre Émond and Ms. Émilie Laurin of the Air Cargo Transportation Research Group of Laval University, is aimed at food wholesalers, transport companies and retailers.

"The goal of the Food Mail Program is to provide good quality, affordable nutritious food to isolated northern communities," said Robert Nault, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. "This program is an important element in our continuing efforts to improve the health of northern communities."

"I am pleased that the pilot project to improve food quality is underway," said Lawrence O'Brien, MP for Labrador. "This project will make higher quality food available in isolated communities along the Labrador coast."

The Food Mail Program subsidizes the cost of shipping essential items such as nutritious perishable food to make them more affordable to northern residents. The Program consists of payments made by INAC to Canada Post to cover part of the cost of providing commercial air stage freight service to approximately 145 isolated northern communities not accessible by year-round surface transportation.

As part of their efforts to improve food quality, INAC surveyed customers living in Black Tickle, Hopedale, Makkovik, Nain, Postville and Rigolet along the Labrador coast to assess food quality. The survey report entitled, Results of the Survey on Food Quality in Six Isolated Communities in Labrador, March 2001, measured customer and retailer satisfaction with the quality and variety of perishable foods shipped to their communities. The report has been posted on the INAC website at www.inac.gc.ca.

The survey suggested a need for improvement in the quality and variety of fresh and frozen perishable foods in Labrador. Customers clearly said they are not satisfied with the products sold in their communities. Interestingly, the survey also revealed that retailers had a much more positive view of the quality and variety of foods in their stores.

A second survey will be done in the same communities in March 2002 to see if the guidelines and training have helped to improve the quality of fresh and frozen perishable foods in Labrador. If these actions are successful, they will be expanded to other Northern communities using food mail.

For more information, please contact:

Fred Hill
INAC
(819) 994-1909

Michael FitzPatrick
INAC Media Relations
(819) 994-2044

Results of the Survey on Food Quality in Six Isolated Communities in Labrador, March 2001

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