From your ONRC North of 60 Team
Delivering Support to Canada’s Northern Communities with Shipping Containers

In Canada’s vast Arctic regions, families face daily challenges that many of us can scarcely imagine. Between extreme climates, limited retail options, and sky-high prices on essential goods, people living north of the 60th parallel often struggle to access basics like food, clothing, and household supplies.

At the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SSVP), we launched the North of 60 Project to meet that challenge head-on. For more than a decade, this initiative has relied on the power of container logistics to deliver support and solidarity to remote communities across the Canadian North.

Why Shipping Containers?

What began in 2010 with a single sea container sent to Tuktoyaktuk has grown into an annual lifeline for multiple northern communities. Each container is carefully packed with non-perishable food, clothing, bedding, household items, and other supplies that communities specifically request.

Containers make sense because they provide:

• Large capacity: a single 20-foot container can carry hundreds of boxes of supplies in one shipment.
• Logistical flexibility: containers can travel by truck, barge, or ship depending on geography and season.
• Sustainability: containers reduce packaging waste and maximize space, making long-distance transport more efficient and environmentally responsible.
• Secure storage: once onsite, containers can also act as safe and weather-resistant storage units for supplies until they are distributed.

In 2024, historically low water levels on the Mackenzie River forced us to truck nine containers overland instead of sending them by barge. This created an unplanned cost of about $150,000. The experience reminded us that container logistics are both essential and vulnerable in northern conditions.

How Containers Get North: The Journey

The journey of a North of 60 container is remarkable, involving coordination and commitment at every step:

• Local collection and packing: our volunteers, schools, parishes, and community partners across Canada gather donations and prepare pallets.
• Southern collection hubs: items are consolidated in cities such as Toronto, Ottawa, Edmonton, and Calgary, where containers are filled and prepared for shipment.
• Departure points: containers leave from major hubs like the Port of Montreal in the East, or from Hay River and other Western routes that serve northern communities.
• Transport: when possible, containers travel north by barge, but at times trucking or ocean routes are required.
• Final delivery to communities: once containers arrive, local partners help unload and distribute the goods.
• Community projects: while most shipments focus on food and household goods, some containers also support local initiatives when requested. Recent examples include supplies for the Men’s Shed program in Tuktoyaktuk, a museum project in Ulukhaktok, and furnishings for the Father’s House restoration in Paulatuk.

Every container’s journey is a story of collaboration and resilience.

The Impact of Container Shipments

Each shipment brings real and lasting change:

• Food banks and clothing programs: regular shipments help maintain stability for families.
• Support for dignity and self-determination: because communities drive the requests, we strengthen trust and respect.
• Youth and education: reliable food helps students stay focused and engaged in school.
• Infrastructure support: in some cases, shipments contribute to local facilities and community projects.

At the heart of it all, our work focuses on reducing food insecurity, with containers acting as lifelines that make basic staples affordable and accessible.

Partnerships That Make It Possible

The North of 60 Project would not be possible without the dedication of our volunteers, donors, and partners. Companies such as ATS Containers have played an important role by providing durable, weather-resistant containers that can withstand harsh Arctic conditions. Their support ensures that shipments arrive safely and that goods are protected throughout their long journey north.

Once delivered, these containers can also serve as additional secure storage for communities, offering a safe place to keep supplies until they are distributed or whenever extra space is needed.

This reliability helps us:

• Deliver supplies intact despite difficult transport routes
• Reduce the risk of damage during long journeys
• Use funds more effectively by lowering replacement costs
• Expand to reach more communities

Together, these efforts amplify the reach of the project and ensure that our work continues to grow year after year.

Challenges in Reaching the North

Operating in the Arctic brings unique difficulties that shape the North of 60 Project each year:

• Environmental unpredictability: changing conditions, such as low water levels on the Mackenzie River, can halt barge shipments and force costly alternatives like trucking.
• Rising transportation costs: moving containers thousands of kilometres into remote regions requires significant resources, and costs continue to increase year over year.
• Community-driven needs: every shipment must reflect the requests of thecommunities themselves, which requires careful planning and ongoing dialogue.

Despite these challenges, the project continues to grow thanks to the commitment of volunteers, donors, and local partners who make every container shipment possible.

How You Can Help

There are many ways to support the North of 60 Project:

• Make a donation: financial contributions help cover the cost of food staples andshipping.
• Organize a drive: schools, parishes, and community groups can collect non-perishable food, clothing, bedding, and household supplies.
• Get involved locally: support the efforts of your parish or community group thatmay already be filling a container.
• Raise awareness: share the story of the North of 60 Project to encourage others toget involved.

More Than Shipments — A Lifeline of Hope

The North of 60 Project is about more than shipping containers of goods. It is about building a bridge of solidarity between Canadians in the South and communities in the North. Each shipment carries not just food and essentials, but also dignity, resilience, and hope.

To learn more or to support the initiative, visit the North of 60 page on the SSVP Ontario region website.

For more about ATS support of North of 60, check here.