Kids Gardening in the Beaufort Delta

Growing the Grassroots: Beaufort Delta Raises Some Gardens

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The Northwest Territories’ northernmost region has expanded its roots in small-scale food production over the past year thanks to a partnership between the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment’s (ITI) Beaufort Delta Region and the Community Garden Society of Inuvik (CGSI).

The CGSI — well-known as the operator of the Inuvik Community Greenhouse — have worked with the ITI regional office to help establish new community gardens in communities across the region.

With ITI providing funding and support, the CGSI has taken leadership on the Department of ITI’s Small-Scale Foods program in the Beaufort Delta region; providing their expertise to several smaller community gardening organizations across the area.

So far, the program has seen the raising of four new community garden societies in Fort McPherson (Gwich’in Green Thumbs), Aklavik (Peel River Garden Society), Sachs Harbour (Banks Island Garden Society), and Paulatuk (Qungiliq Garden Society) — bringing the number of societies in the Beaufort Delta to five.

Each of these societies now maintain their own gardens, with support from the Department of ITI’s Support for Entrepreneurs and Economic Development - Community Economic Development program and the CGSI, who will visit communities to provide mentorship.

In the coming year, there will also be events held in the Beaufort Delta to build awareness, knowledge, and participation in community gardening and small-scale agriculture. These events will include agriculture seminars and knowledge-sharing opportunities with subject-area-experts. 

Want to get involved? If you’re in the Beaufort Delta and want to get your green-thumb on, get in touch with the CGSI team or contact your ITI regional office.