Communities Will Have Better Infrastructure To Offer People Healthy Food

People living on low incomes and struggling to put food on the table will soon have better access to nutritious food - as the province invests $14 million into the Critical Food Infrastructure Fund for local community organizations.

“We all want people to have the support and services they need to get healthy, nutritious food on the table,” said Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction.

“We are acting on what we’ve heard from many communities and organizations, that they need better infrastructure to be able to get fresh food to people in need when grocery stores donate their extra food.”

The fund, administered by United Way British Columbia, will provide grants to food infrastructure projects from local organizations to increase their capacity to provide nutritious and culturally appropriate food to the people who need it.

Charitable organizations, including non-profit groups, social enterprises, co-operatives, Indigenous organizations, and First Nations can apply for $5,000 to $100,000 in funding.

The applications are open until Nov. 20, 2023. Infrastructure projects, such as warehouse storage space and equipment, refrigerated vehicles to transport food, and equipment to preserve and process food for an extended shelf life, are eligible for funding.

Food insecurity has increased because of inflation, supply-chain issues and climate emergencies that interrupt food supply and production.

The BC government says the investment addresses the diverse challenges faced by local community groups and First Nations, strengthening food security for everyone.

To learn more, visit Government of British Columbia.