A group of students at Toronto's Ryerson University spent part of the summer in Nunavut building a greenhouse to grow fresh produce for residents of the chilly region. "This was two years in the making, and it was such a relief to get up there," Ryerson University student Ben Canning told CTV's Canada AM on Friday.
Canning and a group of fellow students spent August and September in the small community of Naujaat, once known as Repulse Bay, an Inuit hamlet located on the shores of Hudson Bay.
"It was an amazing trip," Canning said. "It's a lot bigger than just a greenhouse up there. For the people in Naujaat, it shows that you can do more. Your ideas can become reality and your actions can bring huge positive benefits to your community."
The students first visited Naujaat in the summer of 2014, and were inspired to return the next year. They raised $239,000 to buy supplies, along with donations from Ryerson, Brookfield Institute, other corporations and a crowdfunding campaign.