Within the community-based food sector, we have a good understanding of the term food insecurity. Yet, very few other people are familiar with this issue and its impact on our communities.
First up, let’s define Food Insecurity:
The state of being without reliable access to sufficient, affordable, nutritious food
feeding your children but going hungry yourself
having to choose between starving or having no place to sleep
Now with the help of elected officials, this is what Food Security can look like:
when food charities are no longer overworked, trying to keep people fed
a treat in my kid’s lunchbox (and my own)
To join the conversation, follow @votefoodsecurity on Instagram!
Help us vote for food on everyone’s plate.
Share your thoughts and use the hashtag #VOTEFOODSECURITY
Our goal is for policy-makers to continue supporting the charitable food sector and address the underlying causes of food insecurity.
How to take action:
1. FIVE questions to ask your candidates:
Will you describe ways that you plan to support local food production and improve access to healthy foods for those on low or fixed incomes?
If you were elected, what might be the first thing that you will do to ensure that (enter your municipality here) have, at all times, economic access to affordable, culturally appropriate and nutritious food?
Do you support increasing municipal funding for community food security programs?
Black, Indigenous and racialized people experience food insecurity at much higher rates in Canada. What will you do to address this issue? What does your platform say about fighting systemic racism?
How will you prioritize poverty reduction?
2. Contact your local MLA and/or Mayoral candidate(s) using this template letter, calling on them to take action against the growing issue of food insecurity within your community. Click here to download
Everyone deserves equitable access to healthy food in a dignified way, and we can only collectively guarantee this across all our communities by addressing the root causes of food insecurity and achieving lasting, systemic change. This October let’s vote for food back on everyone’s plate!
More information on Food Security
Want to learn more about Food Security in Canada?
Household Food Insecurity in Canada 2021 - PROOF
Food Access Across British Columbia - Public Health Association of BC