A non-profit organization in Salluit is inching toward completing the community's first greenhouse. It is set to be completed in October and ready for its opening harvest season in spring 2025.
The Society Promoting Food Safety in Salluit took on the project of building a greenhouse in 2018. At the helm is Stephen Grasser, who previously was at the Kativik Regional Government's economic development department.
"We wanted to look into various food security issues and make it a community initiative rather than an initiative of the Northern Village or the landholding corporation," he said.
After creating a board of directors, applying for funding, and waiting through a two-year COVID-19 pandemic hiatus, the project got going.
The group tried for two years to find a contractor to construct the greenhouse, to no avail. Eventually, they opted to train people locally on construction techniques and working with concrete.
"The idea behind the project is to get people enthusiastic about eating fresh vegetables and fresh fruit," Grasser said.
For that reason, the greenhouse will have no rental fee for its users. Grasser feels half the vegetable beds should be reserved for the community and given away to organizations like the daycare center and the women's shelter.
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