An investment from the province will mean more reliable access to heathy food for people in the Prince Rupert Area, says the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction.
They say this support for local projects will address unique food-access challenges in rural, remote and First Nations communities. It will also increase the capacity of food-access organizations to meet increased demand for their services due to global inflation.
This funding, part of $5 million announced in 2023, is distributed through two streams to support better food access in northern B.C.
The Large Scale Innovations for Food System Transformation Pilot stream provides about $1.7 million for five partnerships to develop advanced models for food security.
The Ideas Lab for Food Systems Transformation stream provides $300,000 across 13 projects, aiming to improve regional food security.
Projects include using existing transportation networks to improve food delivery, building the first school farm in northern B.C., which will provide fresh fruits and vegetables for school meals, constructing greenhouses in school communities, and partnering with Indigenous groups to support sustainable and culturally relevant food infrastructure.
Velma Sutherland, band administrator of Sik-E-Dakh (Glen Vowell) First Nations, said;
“This is a step toward revitalizing Gitxsan Food Ways - honouring the knowledge of our ancestors, respecting the animals that sustain us and building a stronger, self-reliant future for our people.”
This investment is part of the $200 million in funding announced in March 2023 to strengthen the food supply chain throughout B.C., increase the availability of fresh food, encourage more food production in remote areas, strengthen food infrastructure and create more regional community food hubs.