Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the NWT’s “let burn” fire management policy the NWT is a world-class source for valuable morel and other exotic mushrooms of the highest quality. Fresh morel mushrooms bought by southern suppliers last year for $40 in the NWT sold for upwards of $120 on international markets. Demand greatly exceeds supply, guaranteeing high price returns for limited investment. Last year aggressive harvesters from the South took up to half a million dollars in mushrooms, while local pickers made only about $15,000.
The GNWT does not yet have jurisdiction over the management of fungi, although steps are being taken by ENR to get that authority. The jurisdictional vacuum means no controls can be placed on harvesting or prevention measures to ensure local benefits and retain tax revenues.
Alaska, Yukon, B.C. and other jurisdictions support their harvesting industries through government support programs and promotion of their high quality mushrooms. There are currently no GNWT harvesting support and promotion programs, inventory, training or consideration of harvesting opportunities in land use plans. Fire management information could be used to target harvesting in years following fires, but this isn’t being done.
A small core of dedicated NWT mushroom harvesters have expert knowledge and field expertise that we could use as a basis for local, sustainable, small-scale industry well suited to northern lifestyles and skills. Small-scale local harvesters have worked for a decade to develop the industry but there has been little real progress, which requires some government participation.
ENR and ITI need to establish NWT legislative authority for the protection and management of wild mushrooms and then move to creating a permitting and licensing system that ensures resident NWT applicants receive preference in granting of picking permits.
The first step is to consult with NWT mushroom harvesters for the development of NWT wild mushroom harvesting support and market development programs, including promotion to external buyers from NWT suppliers.
These fungi are sustainable diamonds in the rough. When entrepreneurs come forward to build our economies, they deserve our help. Ministers, let’s get to it.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
