Greenhouses in northern communities from Nunavik to Nunavut use innovative methods, such as retrofitted shipping containers powered by wind and solar energy.
Walk into the greenhouse in Salluit, a remote northern Quebec community, and you’ll see something unexpected: rows and rows of green plants thriving in a place where almost nothing grows outside. The air smells fresh, and locals can hardly believe their eyes when they first step inside.
The summer of 2025, Salluit wrapped up its first full harvest from 25 planter beds. The community grew more than 115 kilograms of lettuce, potatoes, rutabaga and strawberries right in their own backyard. When the Amaat Society, which runs the greenhouse, announces free produce on the local radio station, they have to turn people away because demand is so high.
Steven Grasser, president of the Amaat Society, says people are placing greater emphasis on fresh, nutritious food. The excitement makes sense when you consider the alternatives. Most produce in Arctic communities arrives by plane, and those shipping costs mean families pay premium prices for fruits and vegetables that often aren’t very fresh by the time they arrive.
Greenhouses in northern communities are becoming more common as residents seek food sovereignty. Salluit is the third greenhouse to open in Nunavik, following ones in Kuujjuaq and Kangiqsualujjuaq. Another greenhouse is currently being built in Inukjuak.
Andrew Spring, an assistant professor at Wilfrid Laurier University and a Canada Research Chair in northern sustainable food systems, sees a growing desire among remote Arctic residents to build these facilities. He calls it a food sovereignty question: communities decide what kinds of food they want to eat and take more control over their food systems.
The numbers tell a stark story about why greenhouses in northern communities matter so much. Nearly 60 percent of Quebec Inuit experienced food insecurity in 2022, according to Statistics Canada. Nunavut had the highest rate of food insecurity in the country at 62.6 percent. The Northwest Territories had 27.6 percent of households facing food insecurity, and the Yukon had 21.4 percent.
Building and running a greenhouse isn’t cheap. Grasser estimates the construction of the Salluit facility costs around $350,000. Annual operating costs add another $25,000 for expenses like staff salaries, soil, and power for the water pump and ventilation system.
He admits the greenhouse barely scratches the surface of addressing food insecurity. But he believes it’s worth the money because of how it brings the community together and inspires people to seek fresh food and maybe try growing their own.
Sam Chauvette, an agronomist at Cégep de Victoriaville, works with Nunavimmiut to build and maintain their facilities. He’s watched kids react to fresh vegetables as if they were getting candy and chips. They crunch on carrots, cucumbers and peas with genuine excitement.
The educational aspect of greenhouses in northern communities extends beyond just growing food. Having a facility gets people interested in healthy eating. Chauvette partners with schools to teach children about the biology of the plants they’re growing. It’s hands-on learning that connects kids to the source of their food.
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These days, remote communities can access various regional and federal funds to start a greenhouse. The Naurvik project in Gjoa Haven, Nunavut, shows what’s possible with creative thinking. Since 2019, they’ve been using retrofitted shipping containers as growing pods, powered largely by wind and solar energy. They produce fresh food year-round despite the harsh Arctic climate.
The maintenance can be intense. Power outages aren’t uncommon, and the system requires full-time technicians like Betty Kogvik to keep everything running. But Kogvik believes there’s a long-term financial payoff, especially given the high cost of food in the North. You just have to start somewhere.
People of all ages in Gjoa Haven now look forward to receiving locally-grown produce. The greenhouse even grows flowers for special occasions like Mother’s Day, adding small luxuries that would otherwise be impossible or prohibitively expensive.
The main challenge Chauvette sees with greenhouses in northern communities is finding enough people to help maintain them. Part of that comes down to more training to build interest and knowledge in agriculture. Many northern communities have traditionally been unfamiliar with farming, so there’s a learning curve involved.
Chauvette works to train locals so they can train others afterward. It’s a model designed to create self-sufficiency not just in food production but in the knowledge needed to sustain these projects long-term.
Spring agrees that the funds exist, but governments need to target those efforts to build capacity within communities. Communities are doing whatever they can and partnering with lots of organizations to make something happen in this space. But the programming support from a government perspective isn’t really there yet.
These Arctic greenhouses represent more than just fresh vegetables. They’re about communities taking control of their food systems, teaching new skills, and building resilience in places where climate and geography make traditional agriculture nearly impossible. As more communities see their neighbours succeed with greenhouses in northern communities, the movement continues to grow across Canada’s North.
