New Two-Year Collaboration Launches to Build Food Sovereignty, Community Resilience, and Cultural Revitalization

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 21, 2025

New Two-Year Collaboration Launches to Build Food Sovereignty, Community Resilience, and Cultural Revitalization

Lac Seul First Nation — The Wap-Shki-Pi-Nay-Quay-Nay Project – an exciting new two-year collaboration between Lac Seul First Nation and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has officially launched this August. Running through September 2027, the initiative is grounded in three primary goals: the development of a community food bank, the advancement of food sovereignty and self-sufficiency, and the revitalization of ancestral knowledge and cultural practices connected to food.

This goal is focused on restoring autonomy over food systems by increasing traditional foods to our diet and reducing dependence on external supply chains. The high cost of store-bought meats and proteins not only limits the amount of how much people can purchase, it may also lead to the purchase of less expensive products which contain GMO or steroid by-products and leads to illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

A cornerstone of the project is the establishment of a sustainable, locally managed food bank that meets immediate food needs. The food bank will prioritize fresh, locally sourced traditional foods, whenever possible.

The vision of this project is to achieve these goals by offering community members the tools and equipment needed to access the rich resources available in the Lac Seul territory. This will include allowing members access to boats, quads, canoes, snow machines, trailers, fish nets, jiggers, ice huts, rods, and augers on a rental agreement. The proposed agreement will stipulate that one half of any game brough in would be donated to the food bank to be distributed to Elders, large families, and those living on a fixed income.

The project will also explore the possibility of a year-round greenhouse using growing towers and a hydro hydroponics system, which will allow three harvest cycles per year. We will also be introducing a small-scale chicken farm to produce eggs.

The reintroduction of these practices will provide our younger generations the traditional knowledge and skills needed to feed their families and support the community food bank.

We are not only addressing hunger – we are restoring pride, purpose, and connection to the land.

For more information or to get involved, please contact:
Derek Maud, Councillor
Lac Seul First Nation
Phone: 807-738-6744
Email: derekmaud@lacseulfn.org