Food insecurity in Yukon communities during COVID-19: A qualitative study

Abstract

Food insecurity increased in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic; in the Yukon Territory, the Whitehorse Food Bank saw its scope increase sig­nificantly as smaller Yukon communities were requesting deliveries of food while travel restrictions were in place. In this qualitative study, the researchers conducted semi-structured inter­views with food bank clients in Whitehorse and two smaller Yukon communities, as well as repre­sentatives of other organizations that were involved in community food security initiatives. The results revealed five main themes emerging from shared client experiences and impacts from the pandemic: emphasis on the hamper as core food on an ongoing basis, the importance of tradi­tional foods, food insecurity and access, the role of the Whitehorse Food Bank in supporting informal networks in communities, and ideal food situations that focused on an abundance of fresh and land-based foods. The results show some contrast between needs in Whitehorse and needs in smaller, more remote Yukon communities. Because of lim­ited access to fresh foods in communities outside of Whitehorse, merely increasing income supports would not completely alleviate food insecurity for these participants, who they lack physical access as well as economic access to fresh, preferred foods.