The North West Company Partners with The Sprott Foundation and Second Harvest to Enable $3.6 Million Food Donation

Winnipeg, MB, May 28, 2020 – The North West Company has partnered with The Sprott Foundation to enable a combined $3.6 Million donation to residents of over 120 communities in Northern Canada, to help ensure food security during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The donation is part of a larger grant that The Sprott Foundation recently made to Second Harvest, the largest food rescue organization in Canada, to extend food supports for Canadians who are struggling as a result of the pandemic’s economic toll. The North West Company partnership extends the reach of this initiative by leveraging North West’s relationships, logistics skills and retail store presence within northern Canadian communities. North West is also supporting the donation by providing $600,000 and collaborating with regional partners, including social assistance organizations and local food support programs to ensure an equitable distribution of the grant using grocery vouchers.

“The North West Company was a natural partner thanks to the longstanding relationships they have built with over 120 Northern communities across Canada”, said Juliana Sprott, Chief Giving Officer of The Sprott Foundation. “By utilizing North West’s extensive community relationships and network of Northern/NorthMart stores, they will be able to provide food support in a timely manner to those who need it most.”

“We commend the leadership demonstrated by The Sprott Foundation and Second Harvest in including Northern and Indigenous communities with their generous grant,” said Gary Merasty, Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer at The North West Company. “We know that many families in Northern communities have limited access to key essential services as offered in larger urban settings and are often more vulnerable in situations like the current pandemic. The timing of this grant will be very impactful to numerous families across Northern Canada.”

“Our communities and more importantly our families sincerely appreciate and thank The Sprott Foundation, Second Harvest and The North West Company for their generosity of spirit during these trying times,” stated Grand Chief Garrison Settee, Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak.

“This partnership means that we can help more families access fresh food and overcome many of the geographical and logistical challenges of getting support to those who need it,” said Lori Nikkel, CEO of Second Harvest. “We are grateful for the support of The Sprott Foundation and The North West Company as we try to support all regions of the country during this challenging time in our history,” said Lori Nikkel, CEO of Second Harvest.

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About The North West Company

The North West Company is a retailer primarily serving rural communities in Canada, and Alaska as well as islands in the South Pacific and Caribbean. We are committed to helping our customers live better by bringing them the best products and services together with a tradition of community support. North West’s Northern and

NorthMart stores are the largest local private employer of Indigenous people in Canada, with approximately 3,000 employees and an annual payroll exceeding $65 million.

About Second Harvest and FoodRescue.ca

Second Harvest is the largest food rescue organization in Canada and a global thought leader on food recovery. Working across the supply chain – from farm to retail – we capture surplus food before it ends up in landfill and has a negative environmental impact. Since 1985, Second Harvest has redirected more than 155 million pounds of food and prevented over 192 million pounds of greenhouse gas equivalents from entering our atmosphere. Supported by hundreds of corporations, foundations, and the community at large, Second Harvest rescues and delivers enough food to provide over 50,000 meals every day, benefiting a growing network of over 1,500 social service organizations across Canada. Second Harvest also developed FoodRescue.ca, a free online platform that directly connects businesses with surplus, unsold food to local organizations to positively impact our environment and ensure good food gets to people who can use it. With the escalating global pandemic, Second Harvest is leading the Food Rescue Canadian Alliance (FRCA), that brings together government, private and non-profit sectors to ensure food reaches the most vulnerable members of our communities, from coast-to-coast.

For more information, please contact:

Gary Merasty

Executive Vice-President & Chief Development Officer

• 934.1635 | E: gmerasty@northwest.ca

Lori Nikkel

CEO, Second Harvest

647-382-0159 | lorin@secondharvest.ca

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