Successful greenhouse growing in Canada’s High North

In Gjoa Haven, northern Canada, a groundbreaking project appears to be successful. The project is called Naurvik, which means ‘the growing place’ in Inuinnaqtun. And inside two metal containers, powered by a row of solar panels and two wind turbines, lettuce, microgreens and tomato plants grow and thrive, according to Nunatsiaq News.

Work on the project began in 2014, when Adrian Schimnowski, CEO of the Arctic Research Foundation, was in Gjoa Haven for work that led to the discovery of the wreck of the Franklin expedition. In the fall of 2019, things started to move quickly.

Food grown in the greenhouse is currently given to elders in the community. But by 2025, Schimnowski hopes that a larger community-led effort to grow food with renewable energy will be operational in Gjoa Haven.

Community members have also expressed interest in adding a community freezer for country food to the project. At present, five persons are employed as technicians at Naurvik.