Mothers in Paulatuk, N.W.T., rely on donations of diapers, infant formula as prices keep rising

Kourtney Leanne Wolkie, a mother of three in Paulatuk, N.W.T., says the high cost of diapers and infant formula in her community means she's struggling to pay for groceries, despite having a full-time job. 

"With the costs here up north it's crazy," she said.

"Pampers and Enfamil are the first items I would get because they cost more. So that would leave me with whatever I can to spend on food."

Wolkie says prices have always been high in her community, about 900 kilometres northwest of Yellowknife, but inflation is making it harder now than when her older kids were babies.

"Back then, you were able to purchase what you could and it would last in time. Today, you have to buy what you can... just, you know, make it the next two weeks," she said.

Wolkie says the cost of baby supplies is having an impact on what food she can buy for her older kids. She tries to avoid buying meat because of the cost, relying instead on country foods. She also says she can't buy her kids treats like ice cream anymore. 

She says many parents in Paulatuk face similar challenges.

"For mothers, it really does put a toll on our mental health, especially knowing that we can't afford these items for children," she said.  

Grocery prices across the country continue to rise, despite cooling inflation. And remote communities like Paulatuk, where most food arrives by plane, are disproportionately impacted by rising fuel and grocery prices. 

Statistics Canada doesn't track consumer price data for small Northwest Territories communities, but the last consumer price data for Yellowknife shows that prices in February were up 5.8 per cent compared to last year. Grocery prices were up 13.2 percent in February compared to the same time last year.  

Searching for help

Dianne Ruben is Wolkie's mother. She used to work at the Paulatuk Hunters and Trappers Committee, but she's retired now. 

She said that after hearing from Wolkie and other mothers in the community about the challenges they were facing in affording baby supplies, she decided to take action. 

First, she said she looked for some funding options from the Government of Northwest Territories to provide baby supplies. When she couldn't find any funding that way, she took to social media to ask if anyone was able to help.

Blythe Browne, an old colleague of Ruben's from Inuvik, N.W.T., replied. 

Browne lives in Ontario now, but she is part of an online group called Cindy's Northern Canada Projects that buys and ships supplies to Northern communities. Browne says that after living in the North and seeing the higher cost of living, she has looked for ways to keep helping the community.

"For me, being a Canadian, I think it's pretty upsetting that people don't have access to basic needs," she said.

She says that when she saw Ruben's post, she asked the group if they could take the project on, and they agreed. 

So far, Ruben says that the group has sent diapers, formula and other baby supplies to six families in Paulatuk, and the project is still going on.

Wolkie says it means a lot that mothers in the community are getting some help.

"I'm just glad it's finally came to light and we are finally shedding light on bigger issues surrounding motherhood," she said.