Sik-E-Dakh (Glen Vowell), Gitxsan, Lax Yip.
This initiative is led by the Sik-E-Dakh First Nation to develop a meat-processing and wrapping facility that enhances local food sovereignty by providing accessible, affordable infrastructure for wild and domestic meat processing. Serving Sik-E-Dakh, neighbouring Gitxsan communities, and regional farmers, the initiative combined traditional Gitxsan preservation practices with modern processing techniques to create jobs, training opportunities, and sustainable food systems.
This initiative invested in a community mobile abattoir unit and a commercial meat processing facility equipped with items like cold storage, commercial-grade meat cutting, slicing, and processing equipment, along with packing, preservation, canning equipment, and a large smoker.
The facility has opened opportunities for the community to participate in traditional teachings and meat processing training, now producing products such as sausages, moose and bison jerky. With the facility operational, there is now a dedicated space for processing hunted and fished meats, and the Sik-E-Dakh School Farm and community members are boosting animal production, including chickens, pigs, and the investment in raising cattle.
Story of Impact
The story below was shared by this initiative as their Most Significant Transformation Story, submitted as part of their final report. It reflects the perspectives and experiences of individuals involved in each initiative.
The Sik-E-Dakh Meat Cutting Facility represents a meaningful step forward in building a resilient, community-led food system in Glen Vowell. Developed as part of Sik-E-Dakh’s broader food security and sovereignty efforts, the facility improves local access to safe, culturally appropriate, and affordable meat while strengthening local capacity and skills.
Historically, community members relied on distant, costly processing services that limited access to locally raised and harvested meat. With the establishment of the meat-cutting facility and mobile slaughter trailer, Sik-E-Dakh is reclaiming control over how food is
processed, prepared, and shared. This infrastructure allows the community to process beef, poultry, and other meats locally, ensuring higher food safety standards while reducing transportation costs and delays.
Beyond infrastructure, the project supports Indigenous leadership, workforce development, and intergenerational learning. Community members are gaining hands-on experience in meat handling, cutting, and
food safety, building skills that support long-term employment and economic self-reliance. Elders and knowledge holders play a key role in guiding culturally respectful practices, reinforcing traditional relationships with food and land.
The facility also strengthens community food distribution by supporting local programs, emergency food access, and shared harvests. By keeping food production and processing within the community, Sik-E-Dakh is advancing food sovereignty, reducing dependency on external systems, and creating a more secure, dignified food future for its members.
This project reflects a shift from short-term food relief toward long-term systems change—where food is grown, processed, and shared by the community, for the community.
Project Poster
All posters are downloadable in print format. Original posters were designed at 3ft by 4ft; as such, we advise you to print at a similar ratio to ensure text and images are as accessible as possible.
Sik-E-Dakh Meat Processing & Wrapping Facility: Strengthens local food sovereignty by providing safe, affordable processing for wild…
Interactive Map
Use the interactive map below to see who we funded across the north.
You can filter according to project type: Large-Scale, Ideas Lab, and Rapid Stimulus.
