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Poor weather leaves Iqaluit grocery shelves empty

A photo posted to Twitter showing bare shelves at an Iqaluit grocery store. Twitter / TNorrisYEG

TORONTO — People living in Canada’s North already grapple with sky-high food prices, but now, Iqaluit residents are dealing with empty produce shelves.

When you live in a community where pretty much everything arrives by boat or plane, Mother Nature can stand in the way of food and supplies.

READ MORE: Skyrocketing food prices in northern Canada prompt call for action

Iqaluit, Canada’s northernmost capital city, has been having a cold, wet summer.

Low cloud cover and fog in recent weeks prompted many flights to be delayed or cancelled. Meanwhile, heavy ice in Frobisher Bay has made it difficult for ice breakers to clear a path for cargo ships into the region.

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On July 13 Nunatsiaq News reported that store managers at Northmart, a large grocery chain, had issued in-store apologies to customers for the lack of produce.

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“The northern retailer said it is working to fill those shelves as soon as possible.”

Construction work at the local airport and an airline’s staff shortage have contributed to the problem.

“Runway paving at the airport has required pilots to use visual flight rules instead of instrument landings,” reads the post on Nunatsiq News’ Facebook page. “Persistent low cloud cover resulted in numerous flight delays, cancellations and rerouting at First Air for all but one day from July 6 to July 10.”
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On Wednesday, data was released by the Nunavut Bureau of Statistics showing the price of food in Nunavut as double the Canadian average.

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