SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
From food to energy production, projects that have successfully contributed to local economies will be celebrated at a conference May 21 to 23, in hopes of planting seeds of sustainability.

Weledeh MLA Bob Bromley, left, and NWT MP Dennis Bevington announced a conference focusing on local economies would be hosted in Yellowknife in May. - Elaine Anselmi/NNSL photo

"Many people want and see the need to work on local economies," NWT MP Dennis Bevington said.

"Economies that can provide opportunities for people to develop lifestyles that fit with their communities, that allow them to be engaged in their communities, that allow them to have an opportunity to build a successful lifestyle there."

Along with Weledeh MLA Bob Bromley, Bevington announced the conference that, should it see success, the pair hopes will become a regular event within the territory. Held at the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre for its inaugural year, the event will gather voices from around the territory to discuss opportunities to develop a localized economy.

The concept is simple: if we keep it local we keep the profits, the jobs and minimize the environmental impact. Seeing the mandate of its organization mirrored in this platform, Ecology North came on board to host the conference ­ offering a non-partisan approach that both Bevington and Bromley said was necessary.

"We're excited about it and we see it as a real opportunity to open this kind of discussion about how we can keep these resources and develop more employment opportunities in these communities," said Craig Scott, executive director of Ecology North.

"At the same time, we're being more environmentally friendly and socially responsible."

At Ecology North, Scott said a major goal is to try to explore new opportunities for food and energy production, working with the forests, water and growing the tourism industry ­ developing sustainable resources, rather than non-renewables.

Scott gave the example of the City of Yellowknife's energy planning as a successful effort to reduce reliance on non-renewables.

"They've done a great job in terms of setting a target and actually reaching and passing it before their target day," Scott said.

"They're being recognized nationally for that work."

One of the major pushes of the city has been in using biomass boilers for some if its larger facilities.

"When we talk about using our own power, biomass is a big one we have success with," said Scott.

"That's a local resource, it's renewable, it provides jobs and cheap heat."

By leading the way with its own buildings, Scott said the city is showing what can be done and, hopefully, residents will eventually follow suit.

Local food production underway

The Yellowknife Farmers Market and Community Garden Co-op are two examples of local entities that Scott said are making a significant impact on localizing food production.

The 2014 Farmers Market annual report illustrates the positive impact the market, which focuses on locally grown and produced goods, has on the city. The report estimates that the market cycled just under $1 million back through the community last year.

"What happens is every dollar spent in the market is then spent by the vendor elsewhere," said market chair France Benoit.

"We purchase supplies from town, process that and sell that at the market."

Benoit will be among the speakers at the conference, sharing her experience as a food grower in Yellowknife and as a vendor and organizer at the market.

Like Ecology North, the mandate of the conference also fits well with that of the market. The three objectives of the market society, Benoit explains, are: to operate the market, build an economy of food-based businesses and to develop local food systems.

The conference and local economy concept is one that Bromley said he hoped would resonate with everyone including businesses, local governments and individuals.

"We want communities to be forward-thinking and looking at where they're going to be down the road and trying to get their young people trained and working and try to keep those people that are trained and knowledgeable in communities, so they can work and be the next generation of entrepreneurs," said Scott.

"We trying to show that there are a lot of opportunities and you don't have to leave your communities to go to the oil patch or mining industry."

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