updates

• All guiding documents have been updated with our Strategic Priorities for the 2024-25 fiscal year. The CVFPC’s Annual Report has been shared out with local municipalities and other stakeholders, including SD71 Board and Trustees, VIHA Healthy Public Policy contacts and dietitians, Island Food Hubs, and K’omoks Chief and Council.
• The Municipal Policy subcommittee has submitted a a set of Best Practice Food Policy Recommendations to the Village of Cumberland Council, Mayor and CAO to support the Village’s OCP refresh. The group is now in the process of generalizing the document so it can be shared more broadly as a guiding document for any municipality looking to implement best-practice food policy into their OCPs: it has already been shared with the Land to Table Network to support the City of Vernon’s OCP refresh.
• The CVFPC has reviewed a series of bylaw amendments being considered by the Town of Comox in regards to proposed developments at Hector Road and Aspen Road and submitted a letter to the Mayor and Council recommending several best-practice policy decisions.
• A letter was sent to the CVRD Planning Department providing feedback on their Draft Regional Parks & Trails Strategic Plan. Feedback and recommendations were framed in a food-systems and sustainability lens, with equity and inclusion in mind. Read the letter here.
• Planning for the 2024 Provincial All-Candidates Forum is underway! The CVFPC is partnering with CV Social Planning Council and the CV Community Health Network to host an all-candidates event focused on social determinants of health.
• The City of Courtenay has released their 2023 Annual Report – it is heartening to see that they have included a section on Food Systems, speaking directly to the benefits of municipal support of food policy. This section also directly mentions the CVFPC in an ongoing 2023-2026 strategic priority: “Engage with Agricultural Community and Food Policy Council to identify needs and support relevant OCP priorities.” We’re happy to see the City working “to protect agricultural lands and traditional foods, promoting sustainable food systems as integral components of social infrastructure and local economic development within the OCP framework.”

School District 71’s hiring committee began interviewing Food Service Coordinator candidates at the end of May. The School Food subcommittee submitted several questions to the Board to be posed to candidates.

The Feeding Futures Advisory Committee and RFP process will begin after the Food Services Coordinator has been hired, in late June or early July. The CVFPC will stay involved throughout the implementation of all recommendations.

Big news for the CVFPC and LUSH Valley: The federal government announced that Budget 2024 will include the creation of a National School Food Program! With an investment of $1 billion over five years, the program will launch with a target of providing meals to 400,000 more students every year. It includes investments for culturally-appropriate solutions for Indigenous communities, advancement of Indigenous-led solutions and support for existing school food program expansion.

The Board of Education met on March 12th and passed a motion on a series of Feeding Futures recommendations which included hiring a 12-month, full-time excluded Food Services Coordinator and establishing a Feeding Futures Advisory Committee. These recommendations took into consideration feedback voiced at the internal Rights Holders meeting regarding the initial recommendations in the Feeding Futures Draft Food Scan. Council was happy to hear that these concerns, including those of School Food subcommittee members, were taken into consideration by the superintendent and Board.

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh and MPs Rachel Blaney and Gord Johns held a press conference at LUSH HQ on March 6th, announcing that the NDP have committed to push for universal school food funding in the 2024 budget. School Food subcommittee members attended, many of whom have worked hard on federal School Food petitions over the last year, drawing federal attention to the issue.  

The Municipal Planning subcommittee continued to develop recommendations to the Village of Cumberland on incorporating Food Policies into their OCP. The end goal is for this document to become a cross-jurisdictional tool, summarizing best practice recommendations to other municipalities looking to incorporate strong Food Policy into OCPs.

Members attended the Climate Change and Health Community Gathering hosted by Island Health and Snuneymuxw First Nation. The Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities’ Climate Leadership Plan (VICC CLP) inquired as to how the CVFPC and VICC CLP could collaborate to look at climate from a food security perspective.

The School Food subcommittee shared Feeding Futures planning resources with the SD71 Board of Education and leadership, and reviewed the Draft Feeding Futures District Scan prior to its presentation to the School Board. The CVFPC also posed questions to the Board regarding the scan.

The Municipal Planning subcommittee revisited the Island Food Charter and sent reminder letters requesting local municipalities sign on and incorporate the Charter into their OCPs. The City of Courtenay and the Village of Cumberland provided signatory confirmation. The Town of Comox addressed the request on the Consent Agenda at a Council Meeting and the request has been made available to the CVRD Directors for their consideration. 

The Municipal Planning subcommittee continued to develop recommendations for the Village of Cumberland on incorporating food policies into their OCP. The CVFPC was identified as a stakeholder group in Cumberland’s OCP review and will be contacted during the next round of public engagement.

SD71 District PAC Vice Chair and CVFPC School Food Subcommittee member Megan Cowling sent a School Food Petition to MP Rachel Blaney. The petition requested more support from the federal government for school food programs, which would provide the consistency required to make a lasting impact in school food programs. 

Members Naomi Robert and Mayor of Cumberland Vickey Brown drafted recommendations to update the Village of Cumberland’s OCP to include comprehensive food systems policies.

The CVFPC consulted with the Town of Comox Planning Department regarding a newly proposed development. Recommendations included protection of ALR buffers, consideration of impact from parking areas and potential food growing opportunities.

Through the CVRD, the CVFPC submitted an application to the IAF Food Security Emergency Planning and Preparedness Fund to map food flows and community food storage assets in Comox Valley and Northern Island Communities to inform Emergency planning. There were five letters of support from the community!

Member Kimberly Toonders and School Food Subcommittee member Megan Cowling worked alongside the National Coalition for Healthy School Food to promote, fill and send a federal petition to Ottawa calling upon the the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to prioritize funding for a National School Food Program through Budget 2024 for implementation in schools by September 2024.

A tour of the LUSH Valley facility was held for the Food Policy Council and the CVRD’s Economic Development staff. An alternate food hub model was proposal to the group.

The Council collaborated with the Comox Valley Food Hub Stewardship Group.

The Council worked with partners on the Plan H grant application (Equity in Public Policy), which was successful. Funds will support the CVFPC’s Food Supply and Municipal Planning subcommittee’s work.

The School Food Subcommittee was relaunched with new membership-approved priorities, goals and actions.

The CVFPC sent letters to all three municipalities, the Comox Valley Regional District and school board to request appointments of newly elected officials. 

Council worked with K’ómoks First Nation to plan and host a Traditional Food Reconciliation Feast that was held on October 13th.

Council continued to engage with the Food Hub Stewardship Group and hosted them for a tour of LUSH Valley’s facilities.

Six new members were recruited and onboarded, including members from K’ómoks First Nation, Island Health, the Comox Valley Farmers’ Institute and the Comox Valley Farmers’ Market.

The CVFPC communicated with potential contractors and the Ministry of Agriculture regarding an Island-wide survey of food assets in the case of an emergency.

Council discussed and prepared for the CVRD Agriculture Area Plan. This included 3 members applying to be on the advisory, and some setting-up interviews with the contract algologist.

Planning to relaunch the CVFPC School Food Subcommittee began. Discussions were had with School District 71 and the Provincial Coordinator for the Coalition for Healthy School Food regarding the Student Affordability Fund. With new funding from the province, more schools developing and operating school food programs and increased engagement from the District, the Subcommittee’s relaunch is timely.

The CVFPC created two questions for an All Candidates Forum focused on food security and food systems. CVFPC members who were running for Council were not part of this process.

The CVFPC requested and received permission from K’ómoks Chief and Council to support a member to join the CVFPC and collaborate to host a Reconciliation Feast.

The CVFPC took part in an Envisioning Session for the establishment of Piercy Creek Farm.

Council members met for an in-person meeting, the first one as a group since March, 2020!

A new CVFPC logo was finalized.

The CVFPC worked with partners on a Plan H grant application, which was successful. 

The CVFPC turned two!

The Council submitted letters to the Mayor and Council of the Town of Comox expressing support for urban agriculture rezoning amendments to include hen-keeping without lot size restrictions and front lawn greenhouse permission.

In partnership with LUSH Valley Food Action Society, the Council sent an Eat, Think, Vote questionnaire to all candidates in the North Island-Powell River and Courtenay-Alberni ridings in preparation for the federal election. The short questionnaire covered school food, local food production, Indigenous food sources, food security and food sovereignty. Results can be found here.

The School Food Learning Circle Report was finalized by CVFPC member Jenn Meilleur.

The CVFPC supported the development of urban agriculture policies municipally in Courtenay and Comox. 

The CVFPC became a member of the Coalition for Healthy School Food and drafted a letter to be sent to local government, encouraging them to join.

The CVFPC also finalized a letter in support of the Restaurant Association of BC, outlining the impact of the pandemic on local eateries and food systems.

In partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and Fisheries, the CVRD developed a feasibility study and business plan for a Comox Valley Food Hub. The CVFPC supported this work through advocacy and promotion, while also providing recommendations.

Council members Vickey Brown and James McKerricher met with Courtenay-Alberni NDP MP Gord Johns to discuss local food aggregation in the Comox Valley and how the federal government could support food security efforts. Also discussed was the importance of community markets and the impact of the BC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Coupon Program.

Advocacy efforts over the summer brought about a resolution to the Union of BC Municipalities to ensure that community food security efforts be embedded into the provincial emergency response.

The CVFPC participated in consultation with the City of Courtenay on their Official Community Plan (OCP).

Courtenay OCP priorities identified by the Council included:

• Food storage and preparation areas in commercial facilities
• Integrating more food into all growing areas (i.e. urban agriculture initiatives, edible landscaping, converting empty lots into food growing)
• Habitat restoration; including more native plants
• Improving water conservation efforts

The Food Literacy Subcommittee was launched, and included members of the Farm to School Learning Circle.

Farm to School BC “brings healthy, local and sustainable food into schools, and provides students with hands-on learning opportunities that develop food literacy, all while strengthening strengthening the local food system and enhancing school and community connectedness.”

Throughout June, the CVFPC continued to share current food security information on a regular basis.

LUSH Valley Food Action Society and members of the CVFPC provided food supply and food security briefings to all elected officials in the region.

On a weekly basis, the CVFPC shared up-to-date information on the state of food security regionally, provincially and globally.

On April 22nd, the CVFPC co-hosted a farmers meeting to understand the current needs of food growers. Results from this meeting can be found here.

Before the pandemic hit, the CVFPC hosted a strategic planning session to clarify priorities and disperse into subcommittees. Since, the CVFPC re-evaluated and finalized subcommittee divisions as follows:

Food Supply Disruption Subcommittee:

1. Understanding the global and local food supplies during the pandemic.
2. Advocating for emergency response, and for governments to add food security and food supply issues to their agendas.
3. Helping to ensure that food supply and food security planning is part of any and all emergency responses in the future.

Municipal Policy Subcommittee:

1. Supporting requests for urban agriculture policy in the Town of Comox and City of Courtenay.

LUSH Valley Food Action Society and the Comox Valley Food Policy Council mobilized an emergency food accessibility response to the emerging pandemic.

When food hoarding and panic buying created food shortages for vulnerable members of our community, the CVFPC secured donations of food and brought it to the Comox Valley Food Bank, Comox Valley Family Services Association, tenants of the Washington Apartments and other social service agencies.

“The necessarily collaborative nature of this response cannot be understated” said LUSH Valley’s Executive Director, Maurita Prato. “This type of mobilized response could not have been possible without the co-operation of the Comox Valley Food Policy Council, the Coalition to End Homelessness, the Community Health Network and countless other partner agencies and supporters across the region. The power of these relationships, and the generosity of all involved has given me great hope in this very difficult time.”