When it takes 30 hours by diesel truck to bring in fresh vegetables, buyers know the product won’t be fresh.
And high prices — like $9 for a chunk of bok choy cabbage — are a given.
Communities in Yukon and Northwest Territories are tackling the issue with development of community and privately-owned greenhouses.
The Canadian Agricultural Partnership in Yukon offers grants of 50 percent to 60 percent of costs with up to 100 percent for non-profit operations.
A year-old 30,000 square foot hydroponic greenhouse, owned by Lorne Metropolit in the capital Whitehorse, grows tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers, among other varieties.