Vancouver Food Strategy

Strategy goals

Our strategy goals express how we want the food system to take shape in the future.

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  Food-friendly neighbourhoods

  Food-friendly neighbouhoods provide all residents with easy access to fresh, healthy foods, and the means to sustainably dispose of food waste.

  Building and maintaining strong food systems across the city will require the facilities and organizational support for:

  • Community and collective gardens 
  • Farmers and community markets
  • Food storage facilities
  • Community composting facilities
  • Healthy corner stores 

  To ensure food-friendly neighbourhoods are supported throughout Vancouver, we will plan for the unique aspects of each area of the city when implementing the food strategy. 

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  Empowered residents

  The most effective community food systems are shaped by the people who live there.

  But before you take action, you need to know where your neighbourhood's food system stands: what food resources are available, and where gaps exist.

  Knowledge can come from accessing community-based programs, such as neighbourhood food networks, Vancouver Food Policy Council activities, and other food-focused organizations.

  Whether you are looking for a directory of local food initiatives and organizations, or details on City policies and regulations, information should be easy to access, and available in multiple languages and formats.

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  Improved food access

  Access to sufficient, safe, nutritious, and affordable food is fundamental to health and equality.

  To ensure food is accessible, we'll will help to create and support communities and neighbourhoods:

  • Where it is easy to access basic goods
  • That are socially inclusive
  • Designed to enhance physical and mental well-being
  • That protect Vancouver's natural ecology

  We're paying particular attention to increasing access to healthy, affordable, culturally diverse, and sustainably-grown food to vulnerable populations.

  This means increasing food retail options, to ensure food is available within a reasonable walking, transit, or cycling distance. Retailers may include community food markets, mobile healthy food vending, or healthy corner stores.

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  Green economy

  Creating food-related green jobs, and addressing challenges to growing, processing, warehousing, and distributing local and sustainable foods are essential to building a green economy.

  Better linking local food producers with Vancouverites reduces the distance our food travels, minimizing the impact on the environment. It also supports local economic development.

  The food strategy emphasizes skill-building and job creation opportunities that support green food sectors and technologies.

  Another key is supporting social enterprise models of food businesses such as food hubs, urban farms, and farmers markets, which contribute to a green economy while building the skills and resilience of participants.

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  Just, sustainable system

  The food system has many levels — household, neighbourhood, city, region, and beyond.

  We can advocate for food issues at the regional, provincial, and national levels by placing a food system lens on plans and policies at all levels of government, and with other key partners such as foundations and private institutions.

  Supporting policies that enhance the ability of regional and provincial government to protect BC farmers and farmland, and adapt to climate change is also important to achieving food sustainability.