Pictured above: The President of Kangiqsualujjuaq greenhouse Jim Stewart (left) receiving the Greener Tomorrow grant from Kangiqsualujjuaq Northern Store Manager Matthew Teed.

Community members in Kangiqsualujjuaq, QC are able to grow their crops more comfortably, thanks to recent repairs made to the greenhouse.

The Kangiqsualujjuaq greenhouse is a passion project for Jim Stewart, who has been running and managing it for many years. Community members have their own plots of lands or designated spaces to plant and harvest food for their families.

Those who use the greenhouse typically enjoy gardening and growing their own vegetables – planting everything from peppers, carrots and tomatoes to peas and beans – but the space is also valuable for combating food insecurity. Each spring, Matthew Teed, Northern Store Manager, provides vegetable seeds for community members to grow their crops.

The greenhouse was in need of repairs to some of its fans and other things, so the community decided that the funds collected through the Greener Tomorrow program would be used for these repairs. This year, a grant of $2,128 was presented to Jim Stewart.

“The greenhouse here in town is such a great project as it helps in the fight against food insecurity and also gives our town a great place to gather and garden, and see the results of their hard work in growing their own foods,” said Teed.

Northern/NorthMart runs the Greener Tomorrow program year-round, intending to eliminate the use of plastic grocery bags. To encourage the use of environmentally friendly alternatives, customers are charged a fee for plastic bags, then all funds collected throughout the year are reinvested back into the community to support environmental and social programs.