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Good Food Network
Progress Report
0202
GROWING TOGETHER (2020) | @KINGTIDEFILMS
TNETNOC
01
02
The Good Food Network
Land Acknowledgement
The Good Food Leaders
Video • A word from Alex Harned
03 The 2025 Good Food Goals
New 2020 Metrics
04 2020 Continued Initiatives
Food Literacy Committee • School Food Collaborative
Youth Food Network • Justice & Belonging
05 New Initiatives
Growing Together • South Island FarmHub
ggR
06
Stories of Impact
Palenke Greens • Shelbourne Community
Kitchen • SEED The City • Bio-diversity Zine
• Farmpreneur • Economic Recovery Plan
08 Progress Highlights
Food Economy • Food Literacy • Food Access
09 Network Bounty
Key 2020 Accomplishments across the Network
11 Good Food Champions
Food Literacy, Food Access, Local Food Economy &
Significant Contribution Award.
12 Conclusion
2021 Priorities •Final Word
GOOD FOOD NETWORK REPORT | WWW.GOODFOODNETWORK.INFO
ALL ABOUT THE
GOOD FOOD NETWORK
Seeded with the values of collective action and
community, the Good Food Network, formalized in 2015,
has flourished into a regional system of organizations,
communities, non-profits, grassroots initiatives, teachers,
researchers, health promoters, local government, planners,
and farmers working towards a shared vision for a healthy,
sustainable and more equitable food system in the Capital
Region. Over the past five years, the network has grown to
over 2000 members committed to accomplishing the
collaborative Good Food 2025 collective impact strategy.
The Good Food 2025 strategy is divided into three impact
areas, each with varying strategic goals around Healthy
Food Access, Food Literacy, and the Local Food Economy.
The 2020 pandemic has created collective challenges and
shown the discrepancies and cracks in the local, regional
and national food system. The aim of this report is to give
an update on the initiatives, projects and collaborations
that happened across the network in 2020 while
highlighting the resilience and action that the community
displayed despite the crisis.
From baking bread to seed sharing to local food hubs, this GROWING TOGETHER (2020) | @KINGTIDEFILMS
year is proof of the essential need to continue
strengthening our network and food system around the
values of reciprocity and community care.
LAND
Get involve
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Colonialism has suppressed local well-being by
harming Indigenous food systems, whether they
be land-based or of the sky and sea. As the
da
damaging effects of colonial food systems
The Good Food Network continue, we must all intentionally work to
nd conne
reconsider our relationships with each other, and
the land and waters of this region. We honour the
goodfoodnetwork.info stewards of these lands, including the people,
youthfoodnetwork.com
plants and animals, who have an intimate
knowledge of the foods of this land. We hold
them up for the work they continuously do to
@goodfoodsummit protect and connect with the land. CRFAIR and the
@capregfair Good Food Network are located on unceded
Coast Salish Territories*, specifically of the
c
Lekwungen (Songhees and Esquimalt Nations)
t
and W̱SÁNEĆ (Tsartlip/W̱JOȽEȽP,
Tseycum/WSIḴEM, Tsawout/SȾÁUTW, and
Pauquachin/BO EĆEN Nations).
GOOD FOOD NETWORK REPORT | 2020 | PAGE 1
WATCH THE GOOD
VIDEO FOOD
LEADERS
"Prior to the pandemic, the Good Food Network Leadership Collaboration is not all roses all the time; it can be messy,
Group was navigating how to engage initiatives forwarding and in reality, it takes time to build trust. Moreover,
priority areas of the Good Food 2025. However, once the collaboration isn’t the only motivator, honestly. The
gravity of COVID-19 set in (and the uncertainty to what collective power harbored by a harrowing fear of a
severity this would impact our local food system), the focus climate crisis paired with a global pandemic is a poignant
of the leadership group quickly shifted to create and propeller.
disseminate essential information to the wider public
regarding emergency food and ways to support the viability The pandemic tests how prepared (or ill prepared) we are
of the local food economy. The GFN leadership group’s role when faced with sudden shifts and looming shortages to
became clear -- our ability to tap into what is happening on our food system. It has shed light on the compounded
the ground and share it widely is powerful. fragility of the industrial food system. Extensive job loss
and major changes to the financial sustainability of
GFN Leadership monthly meetings shifted to weekly virtual communities will continue to drastically affect levels of
check-ins. ‘Rapid-fire’ style updates were shared by the food insecurity. It solidifies the need for a regional food
collective, and new programs and collaborations emerged. If strategy so we can continue to grow, track, monitor and
two or three organizations were trying to achieve the same advocate for a resilient and equitable local food system.
goal, they joined forces and began planning. This level of
pure synapse-firing collaboration was exhilarating! There was The next challenge we face is how to sustain the mindset
a palpable energy in the air whereby a barrier or problem was elicited by the pandemic (of turning fear into innovation
met with a collective, “What can I do? How can I help?” Many and action), so that we may continue to widen our gaze
impactful, regional and local partnerships materialized. and focus our action from a ‘food’ issue to a human
rights issue; to advocate for affordable, fresh, healthy
food as a human right for everyone, to fight for migrant
The ‘collaboration buzz’ spurred far beyond the screens of worker’s rights, to giving land back, to democratize and
the GFN Leadership group. By taking a step back and embed (food) sovereignty at the core of all our systems.
observing the emergent programming and local champions
stepping up across the region, historically under-represented
voices were centered. Supporting, funding and prioritizing
initiatives that focused on the needs of disenfranchised
communities -- whereby the vision, goal and methods are
tailored for community, by community -- (i.e. ŚW̱,ȻENEṈITEL,
Palenke Greens & Produce Boxes, the Red Cedar Cafe, etc.),
produced profoundly meaningful and crack-in-the-
ALEX HARNED |
hegemonic-food-system results. 2020 Good Food Leaders Co-chair,
Food Systems Coordinator City of Vcitoria
GOOD FOOD NETWORK REPORT | 2020 | PAGE 2
Good Food 2025 is a regional collective impact initiative focused
2025 GOOD
on three main areas: Food Literacy, Food Access and Equity, and
the Local Food Economy. The Community Social Planning Council
and CRFAIR are working towards developing a framework to
FOOD GOALS
monitor progress towards reaching these outcomes and targets
within the Capital Regional District (CRD). Through a collaborative
process with the network and community, detailed indicators have
been developed to track regional progress across impact areas.
THE VALUE OF SHARED REGIONAL OUTCOMES
Alignment: Shared regional Capacity: Shared regional Advocacy: The indicator
indicators can help multiple indicators can help process is also key to
organizations across the support organizations that regional advocacy; it can be
food sector come together have limited capacity to a process for discussing
and align for impact and collect data for monitoring what we are trying to
progress towards and evaluating. accomplish.
measurable outcomes.
FOOD ACCESS AND
EQUITY FOOD LITERACY
Target: The number of Target: The number of
households who report households in the CRD who
that they are food insecure report growing or accessing
drops by 25% from 14% of healthy, local, and
households in 2012 to 10% traditional food steadily
by 2025 decreasing food increases from 23% in 2014
insecurity. to 46% by 2025.
LOCAL FOOD ECONOMY
Target: Local food sourced
for the Capital Region
increases from less than
10% of total food
consumption in 2011 to 25%
by 2025.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NEW
METRICS FRAMEWORK
GOOD FOOD NETWORK REPORT | 2020 | PAGE 3
2020
CONTINUED
COLLABORATIONS FOOD LITERACY SCHOOL FOOD SHIFT
STEERING COLLABORATIVE
SEED THE CITY, 2020
COMMITTEE
The Food Literacy Steering Committee The School Food Shift Collaborative is a
continued to support networking group of organizations leading efforts at
opportunities for sharing promising the community level in partnership with
practices and research to align efforts school, health and food production
more strategically for greater impact. sectors to improve school food
Supporting Food Literacy efforts in the environments. In 2020, the collaborative
region as the pandemic began, the supported the development of the
committee was able to develop a seven- Healthy School Food Framework as well
part webinar series hosted bi-weekly as progressed collaborative goals
discussing topics ranging from food towards Healthy School Food
waste to restaurants to growing food at Environments, outlined in the 2020
home. The committee also coordinated School Food Shift Progress Report. The
the Food Literacy session at the 2020 participating organizations are CRFAIR,
Good Food Summit. 2021 Priorities include Farm to School BC, Island Health, Food
the Food Security Connections Video Share Network and LifeCycles. 2021
project whereby individuals who have priorities include support of the Coalition
faced food insecurity share their for Healthy School Food and leveraging
experiences, and the development of the resources and capacity for school garden
Food Literacy Metrics. development.
ŚW̱ ,ȻENEṈITEL TEAM (Rose, Tiffany, Shiloh & Kati)
YOUTH FOOD NETWORK
The Youth Food Network has focused on the development of the Youth Food JUSTICE & BELONGING
Justice group. This group is focused on developing advocacy skills for youth to ADVOCATE
promote food security in their communities. Since October 2020, the group has In 2020, Lajah Warren, CRFAIR's Youth
had monthly check-ins, workshops with local food leaders, and is developing Network Coordinator, began her work as
community-based actions focused on their learnings in the community. They Justice and Belonging Advocate. In this
have also had leadership opportunities within food-related committees and role, Lajah supports the organization by
volunteer opportunities. The Youth Food Network has also created a podcast ensuring that CRFAIR programming and
that prioritizes the voices of local youth working on food related initiatives. The initiatives are rooted in promoting
podcast, "Sprouting Conversations" has reached 670 subscribers to this date, and belonging within just and equitable
has published eight episodes. Moving forward, the Network hopes to connect spaces grounded on decolonial practices.
land-based healing in their programming and develop a mentorship program for Lajah advocates and makes space for the
youth and local food leaders. voices of BIPOC and marginalized
communities, ensuring that CRFAIR
honors and continually works towards its
commitment to centering justice and
belonging in their work.
GOOD FOOD NETWORK REPORT | 2020 | PAGE 4
SEVITAITINI WEN
GROWING TOGETHER
As the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated
food insecurity, disconnected and isolated
communities from resources, and impacted
access to local and healthy foods, the
Growing Together initiative sought to Watch
mitigate some of the harmful effects of the
COVID-19 crisis. Growing Together is a
Video
collaboration between 20+ organizations
across Coast Salish Territory with a goal of
supporting people learning how to grow their GROWING TOGETHER (2020) | @KINGTIDEFILMS
own food. Intersecting with the 2025 goals
of increased Food Literacy and Food
Access, the project in 2020, connected
COMMUNITY PROJECTS
115+ people with mentors, created
informative how-to garden videos with local
experts, dispersed food plants to over 300
seniors in Saanich and supported the City of
Victoria’s initiative ‘Get Growing, Victoria!’
which grew over 81,000 plants.
LEARN MORE
@growing.together.apart
THE SOUTH ISLAND FARMHUB
The South Island FarmHub was created in response
to the COVID-19 pandemic to help farmers and
communities alike as shifting local and global food
and economic systems were rocked by the crisis. Watch
As farmers lost valuable buyers with restaurants
closing in March, communities were simultaneously Video
facing increased levels of food insecurity and
inaccessibility to local and healthy foods. The SI
FarmHub was developed in response to these two
intersecting interests in a win-win situation made
possible with an injection of funding from the Rapid
Release Fund. By developing infrastructure for
aggregation and distribution of local food, local "I DIDN'T QUITE BELIEVE WHEN IT
farmers were able to continue distributing their
FIRST HAPPENED... [THE SOUTH
ISLAND FARMHUB] WAS A REAL
products to new markets including Schools and LIFESAVER FOR OUR FARM"
Charities, and home deliveries. As we head into
2021, the SI FarmHub will continue to provide this - MARY ALICE, ALM FARMS
vital service for communities, organizations and
farmers. LEARN MORE
@southislandfarmhub
GOOD FOOD NETWORK REPORT | 2020 | PAGE 5
TCAPMI FO SEIROTS
Palenke Food
Greens Literacy
Seed the City is a program for high
school students where they gain work
experience in gardening and farming,
earn credits towards graduation, and
become part of the local food
movement in their city. During this 8-
week summer program, students
build community and transferable
skills through growing and selling
food that is produced on school
grounds, and participating in field
trips and workshops at local farms.
Through this program, students in the
Greater Victoria School District are
eligible to receive high school course
credits.In 2020, Seed the City
continued it's programing for it's
Recognizing the pandemic had second year and engaged 11 high
exacerbated systemic pressures for school students in growing, cooking,
many BIPOC communities, who and selling vegetables grown on
have been historically under- school grounds. This project is a
represented in local food systems' partnership between LifeCycles,
food security initiatives, Iyé Creative TOPSOIL Innovative Urban
took bold action and launched Agriculture, and the Greater Victoria
Palenke Greens, an educational School District.
initiative wherein over 54 burlap
sack gardens were created, and
delivered to individuals across the
region. The project inspired the Watch
development of the Palenke video
Produce Box program which
provided 2,200 pounds of fresh,
locally-grown produce, and locally
crafted canned products from
October-December to community
TCAPMI FO SEIROTS
members facing food insecurity,
and barriers to healthy and
culturally appropriate foods. Iyé
Creative mobilized in community
through an inspiring commitment to
community care and collective
action, prioritizing the stories and
voices of Black, Indigenous and
marginalized folks. Iyé Creative
supports a re-connection to the land
and a revitalization and reclamation
of ancestral practices.
Food
Access
Seed the
GROWING TOGETHER (2020) | @KINGTIDEFILMS
City | PAGE 6
TCAPMI FO SEIROTS
Food
Security
The Shelbourne Community Kitchen’s
mission is to create opportunities for
people living on a low income to cook,
grow, share and connect for improved
health and wellbeing. During the 2020
COVID Pandemic, the urgent Food
Support Fund raised close to $20,000
going directly to funding the Pantry
program, a food support program vital in
distributing nutritious food to those who
need it. The program began distributing
food to 70 people twice a month,
increased the amount of staple foods;
offering healthy drink and snack packs
for people experiencing homelessness;
and expanded the home delivery system
BioDiversity is a zine that teaches all to support the most vulnerable
ages about the history of selected members who could not leave their
Black and Indigenous ecological homes, many of whom are seniors or
stewards. These stewards have individuals with chronic illness. The
worked in the industries of soil health, Shelbourne Community Kitchen also
environmental activism, plant distributed important information about
knowledge and more. The zine,
created by Zoë-Blue Coates, explains Food program updates, government subsidies
and emerging community resources via
the role of ecological stewards, and
highlights BIPOC stewards from
Literacy email, social media and in print.
around the world. This educational
Source: Shelbourne Community Kitchen, 2020
tool is critical to Food Justice and
Food Literacy efforts in the region,
TCAPMI FO SEIROTS
acting as an accessible tool to explain
themes of ecological stewardship and
Food Justice to children. Zoë-Blue
works as the site and education
assistant at the Compost Education
Centre. The centre teaches all ages
about the importance of soil health.
Download the Zine
GROWING TOGETHER (2020) | @KINGTIDEFILMS | PAGE 7
TCAPMI FO SEIROTS
Local Food
Economy
Approved by the District of North
Saanich in 2020, the Sandown Centre
for Regenerative Agriculture has
begun work on the 83 acres of land to
support and foster future farmers
while strengthening the local food
supply and enhancing food
biodiversity. Sandown has launched
the Farmpreneur program, a supported
incubator plot program that provides
The Rising Economy Taskforce was emerging growers with access to land,
launched on April 16, 2020 - in total, shared infrastructure and ongoing
more than 120 people came together mentorship. The team received 28
to focus energy on key topics and eager applicants, a telling sign of the
priority areas. The economic recovery demand of this type of program in the
plan outlines recommendations within region. Sandown's current focus areas
food system work among other and priorities are wetlands and water
sectors including supporting testing, forest steward program and
agritourism through the Flavour Trails fencing and livestock. You can learn
program, enhancing promotion of more here.
buying local food, creating consortium
organizations to aggregate suppliers
to build resilience, and increase funds
TCAPMI FO SEIROTS
available for the BuyBC program to
help program partners shift consumer
behaviours to local markets. To learn
more about the Taskforce and read
the recommendations click here.
Local Food
Economy
| PAGE 8Local Food Economy | Progress Highlights
Vancouver Island Agriculture & With the dedication of local First
South Island FarmHub
Climate Change Regional Nations, including the Homalco,
aggregates and distributed
Klahoose, K’ómoks, Kwaikah,
Adaptation Strategies series over $250,000 of local food Tla’amin, We Wai Kai and Wei Wai
2020 is released outlining a from famers to schools, Kum First Nations Federal
series of adaptation strategies community organizations, Government announces 18-month
and climate action goals for charities & community phase out of fish farms in Discovery
Vancouver Island. members. Islands.
Learn More Learn More Learn More
Food Access & Equity | Progress Highlights
$151,870 raised by Mustard Seed serves Red Cedar Cafe launches in
Fernwood NRG Gift of 501,000+ meals for April 2020 to provide healthy,
Good Food Fundraiser. individuals experiencing tasty, affordable meals to
Supporting 303 families homelessness and Food seniors, people in self-
with 83528 lbs of produce. Insecurity in Victoria. isolation and other people in
need.
Learn More Learn More Learn More
GOOD FOOD NETWORK REPORT | 2020 | PAGE 9Food Literacy| Progress Highlights
1000 pounds of vegetables W̱SÁNEĆ Ethnobotany Trail &
Growing Together creates Restoration Project, a partnership
were produced by students
a 24 video series with local project between PEPÁḴEṈ
through the Seed the City
farmers and growers to HÁUTW̱ and the Horticulture
Program on two school-yard Centre of the Pacific (HCP)
teach basic gardening
micro-farms (July - August) connects land, language and
skills to the community.
2020. learning.
Learn More Learn More Learn More
NETWORK BOUNTY | HIGHLIGHTS
Online engagement grew by 30%
1700+ have signed the good food
resolution.
Over a $1.2 million generated for Good Food
Network collaborative initiatives with
$360,000 (approximately 30% going directly
to BIPOC LED initiatives)
The Good Food Network created weekly
COVID-19 briefs sent to 70 government and
emergency response agencies to discuss the
impacts of the pandemic on food insecurity in
region.
GOOD FOOD NETWORK REPORT | 2020 | PAGE 9
GOOD FOOD NETWORK REPORT | 2020 | PAGE 10Palenke
PALENKE Amarjit
AMARJIT
GREENS
Greens FOOD CHAMPI Dhaliwal
DHARIWAL
OD O NS
GO
FOOD LITERACY LOCAL FOOD ECONOMY
Ariel Reyes Anutan South Island FarmHub
and Jess Reyes nominated Amarjit
Barton: creators of Iyé Dhariwal of Oceanview
Creative and Palenke Estates for a Good Food
Greens - Palenke Champion award. Amarjit
Greens is a new has been a supporter of
initiative that provided creating a robust local
burlap sac gardens, food economy for many
and now CSA food years.
boxes, to people of
colour within the He is always willing to
Greater Victoria area, attend meetings such as
encouraging people to Farmer Focus Groups,
grow their own food, Vision Viewfield and was
learning food literacy an anchor farmer for
skills while building Closing the Supply Gap
community. Demonstration Project.
Farmhub is especially
grateful for his generosity
in offering his farm as the
Saanich aggregation point
for South Island Farmhub.
Rudi is recognized for La Teranga Culturally
making a significant Relevant Food Baskets -
contribution to the goals this new project from the
of the Good Food African Arts and Cultural
Network, from Contribution Society, has
supporting greater been distributing
access to healthy food, culturally appropriate
to supporting local farm food baskets weekly,
viability to advancing since the start of the
critical work to pandemic, to 120+ black
decolonize and create families of African
new pathways for trust descent in the Greater
based philanthropy Victoria area. The
through the
ŚW̱,ȻENEṈITEL
RUDI LA baskets are individually
tailored, depending on
indigenous foods
initiative .
WALLACE TERANGA where that recipient is
from, providing them food
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOOD ACCESS from their homeplace.
GOOD FOOD NETWORK REPORT | 2020 | PAGE112021| Highlights Going Forward
Exploration of a regional food policy council
Expansion of training opportunities and partnerships to
advance equity
Pilot metrics framework- testing indicators
Climate change roundtable
Closing the Supply Gap Symposiums to propel food systems
development and leadership
Explore ways to increase income security in region
increase communications about our work to all decision
makers and stakeholders in the region
A FINAL WORD FROM
THE INCOMING GOOD
FOOD LEADERS CHAIR
"As a relative newcomer to the Good Food Leadership
group, I have been very impressed with their
demonstrated adaptability in a rapidly shifting
landscape. In my role as incoming co-chair I look
forward to building on these successes. In 2021, we
hope to address the need for a Regional Food Policy
Council as a way to support essential policy
development that fosters a vibrant and healthy local
food system. The pandemic has clearly exposed the
depth of food insecurity in our communities. Through
education and advocacy, we will call for income
solutions to food insecurity as the most effective way
to support Canada’s legal obligation under the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Get involv
e
Cultural Rights to “respect, protect and fulfil the right
to food”. And we will seek to imbed values and
actions in our food work to actualize true diversity,
da
equity and inclusion. I look forward to sharing this
journey towards food justice with you all."
The Good Food Network
nd conne
Joan Stonehocker | Executive Director Lifecycles goodfoodnetwork.info
Project Society, Good Food Leaders Co-Chair youthfoodnetwork.com
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT @goodfoodsummit
CRFAIR, THE COORDINATING BODY OF @capregfair
THE GOOD FOOD NETWORK AT
c
ENGAGEMENT@CRFAIR.CA
t
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