Northern Store’s low stock worries customers in Fort Simpson

The North West Company says it has been facing challenges maintaining fresh produce and grocery stock at its Northern Store in Fort Simpson.

The shortage is partly due to the delay in the opening of the Liard River ice crossing that connects Fort Simpson to the territory’s highway system, according to Brent Smith, a spokesperson for the North West Company. The ice crossing opened on December 15, its latest opening date on record, breaking the previous 1993 record.

“Delayed heavy freight access to the ice bridge and other weather-related factors have played a small part,” Smith wrote in an email on Wednesday.

“Our team is working to immediately remedy our customers’ concerns for a reliable supply of fresh foods and everyday products in our store. We take our role seriously and we apologize to the community that we have recently not met their needs and expectations.”

Several residents in Fort Simpson have raised concerns about bare shelves at the community’s Northern Store. The store also serves residents in the nearby communities of Wrigley, Samba K’e, Jean Marie River and Nahanni Butte, that regularly shop there to meet their food needs.

Fort Simpson resident Doris Erasmus said she has not seen the shelves this empty in 35 years. She said she stocks up on dry foods and meat when she visits Yellowknife.

“During freeze-up and break-up, they always airlift food across because we are a major centre in the Dehcho,” she said. “We serve the surrounding communities with food and so when they come in to shop, and we shop, the store is virtually empty after that. You just, you can’t get anything.”

Cheryl Sibbeston is another Fort Simpson resident who has been impacted by low stock at the local store.

She said she also knows people in Tulita and Sambaa K’e that shop at the store when they come to Fort Simpson.

“Last week they got a truck in here. I went into the store and I didn’t see any of the shelves filled up completely,” she said. “But this week, I just had it.”

When Sibbeston inquired about the low grocery stock, she said she was told weight restrictions on the ice crossing had prevented the store from bringing in a full load of goods. She expressed her concerns by sharing photos of empty shelves on Facebook last week.

“I’m showing it for families here. People with kids,” she said. “This shouldn’t be tolerated. We should have food on the shelves in there for people to go and buy.”

Sibbeston said she has also noticed prices increasing in recent months. For example, she said the price for a head of cabbage had risen to $18, while a head of broccoli cost $10 to $12 bucks.

Hours after Sibbeston shared the photos online, the Fort Simpson Northern Store posted on Facebook that a truck had arrived and they were working to restock shelves.

“This should cover most of the depleted products that we have, and we will be hyper aware of keeping enough stock levels to serve the community,” the post stated.