Supported by the Government of BC and Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, the Public Health Association of BC (PHABC) and Food Banks BC are working in partnership to strengthen the food systems sector in BC and increase capacity of food-access organizations through a multipronged strategy that involves a combination of knowledge gathering efforts, networking and various streams of grant-making. For more information on this project, please refer to the Community Food Systems Development (CFSD) media statement.
Food systems transformation is the foundational framework that was used to develop our community food systems development strategy and all the activities described below. Food Systems transformation refers to efforts being made to transform mainstream food systems to be more just, equitable, sustainable, and resilient. There are multiple entry points to accelerating this transformation, and as such, there are five projects that support this shift by addressing different leverage points within the food system. These projects aim to advance community food security, enhance local food sovereignty, and foster collaboration across sectors to build a healthier and more inclusive food system for all.
Knowledge Development Projects (Projects 1 and 2)
Project 1: Community Food Systems Development in BC: Activating the Food Access Sector
Status: Completed (May 2025)
This report explores the diverse ways in which food access organizations in British Columbia (BC) are addressing immediate hunger and building capacity across the food access landscape to foster local food systems transformation. This project identified that British Columbia’s unique geography, diverse populations, varying climates and different community conditions foster distinct advantages and specific hurdles in developing equitable and dignified food systems.
The intelligence gathered in this report will support program redesign, strengthen systemic responsiveness and ensure that the voices on the front line are heard. Most of effective problem solving is achieved in partnership and in true understanding of the solutions the community has already imagined.
Project 2: (Re)Defining Dignified Food Access in BC: What we learned from community members
Status: Completed (May 2025)
This report delves into the concept of dignified food access in British Columbia, exploring how various food access organizations are working to create welcoming, respectful, and inclusive environments. The study highlights the importance of quality food choices, community connections, and advocacy in addressing food insecurity and promoting long-term food self-sufficiency.
This investigation goes to the heart of effective food programming. It brings forward the stories of numerous population groups whose voices must be centered in this work. Throughout this report, we have embedded the voices of community members. We hope we have honored their concerns and highlighted the solutions that work from their perspectives. This work is essential to building more responsive, equitable, and transformative food systems.
Grant Making (Projects 3a, 3b and 4)
For further information about the grant-making strategy, please read our backgrounder.
Project 3a: Rapid Stimulus Grant
Status: Ongoing
The Rapid Stimulus Grant for Food Systems Transformation (RSG) is a one-time grant for non-profits in Northern BC to advance transformation in the food system. 36 innovative projects across Northern BC received $800,000 in funding in June 2024. The projects through this grant will be inspiring and transformational for local and regional food systems resilience, equity, and capacity-building. We look forward to the evolution of these initiatives and remain committed to supporting the communities undertaking this vital work. We gratefully acknowledge the Province of BC for making this grant possible.
Below is a map of the grantees across the Northern Region.
Project 3b: Ideas Lab
Status: Ongoing
The Ideas Lab for Food Systems Transformation is a dynamic initiative designed to foster collaboration among multi-sectoral food stakeholders across Northern BC. Its goal is to strengthen regional food security through innovative, community-driven solutions that make local food systems more equitable, resilient, and adaptive.
Over a 16-month period, project teams co-developed proposals for systems redesign—an iterative, user-centered process that improves the performance, efficiency, and adaptability of existing food systems. The Ideas Lab facilitates this process by providing seed funding, educational resources, and skill-building opportunities focused on systems innovation, social change, and design thinking.
To launch these collaborative projects, the Ideas Lab convened regional roundtables in Northern BC. Priority needs and areas of interest emerged from these meetings and $300,000 in grants were distributed across 13 projects in March 2025. The funding will support a wide range of activities including but not limited to a food hub feasibility study, Indigenous food sovereignty, hydroponics, establishing a land trust, innovative food transportation, farmer apprenticeship training, fish access, and increasing meat processing capacity.
For the list of successful Ideas Lab recipients, please refer to the CFSD Grantee List.
Project 4: Large Scale Innovations for Food Systems Transformation
Status: Ongoing
This grant stream provides funding and coordination to targeted partnerships with organizations piloting large-scale innovation projects in different regions of Northern BC. These projects were selected based on need, capacity, and readiness of each partner project. The partnerships were informed by the learnings from the Resilient North report, as well as promising models identified in the literature that have been shown to increase resiliency in food systems (e.g., sustainably powered indoor food growing modules, cross-stakeholder food purchasing contracts, etc). Five partnerships across Northern BC were identified, and a total of $1.7 million in funds were distributed to enhance food systems transformation.
The main objectives of this granting stream are to improve food access by supporting community-led solutions and innovations that enhance resilience and drive food systems transformation. This includes piloting new models by strengthening the capacity of organizations to test, evaluate, and scale innovative food services. Capacity building is also key, with a focus on fostering knowledge exchange among food system stakeholders to address shared challenges and pursue collective opportunities. The initiative aims to drive systemic change by influencing policy, promoting collaboration, and advocating for long-term, sustainable improvements in food access. Ultimately, it seeks to enable inclusive, community-driven approaches that support a more sustainable and resilient food system in Northern BC and beyond.
For the list of successful Large Scale Innovations for Food Systems Transformation grants, please refer to the CFSD Grantee List.