BC Alliance for Healthy Living was thrilled with the maxed out registration for our September 26 Webinar Elements of Food Security, but not surprised. Food Security is an important topic, and with 7% of British Columbians feeling the pinch of hunger, it should be.
All three sets of speakers for this on-line event brought a different perspective but the same values. They all agreed that healthy foods must be available year round to all British Columbians, and if they can be found close to home all the better.
They spent an hour and a half with us outlining their ideas on how to overcome the different challenges facing BC communities.
Presentations:
Kristen Yarker, Executive Director of Dietitians of Canada, BC Region presented the ‘2011 Cost of Eating in BC’ Report. She talked about the need to look at the cost of a healthy food basket in the different areas of BC and the proportion of a family’s income required to cover those costs. Kristen described some of the provincial policies that could improve access to healthier food for those on low incomes.
Corine Singfield, Coordinator of the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) project in Bella Coola, spoke about the community involvement that has blossomed in Bella Coola, bringing together ardent gardeners, local farmers, community member and some more unusual suspects such as freight companies, pilots and local grocery store owners to increase access to fresh produce.
Greg Halseth and Marlene Morris from UNBC’s Community Development Institute presented an up-and-coming perspective on how to increase access to fresh food in remote communities. CDI is interested in how communities can use the excess heat produced by local energy generation to improve year-round availability of fresh produce by warming soil and powering indoor growing systems (that can be transported like any large scale trailer).
Download Presentations here:
Kristen Yarker: 2011 Cost of Eating in BC Report Presentation
Corine Singfield: Bella Coola Community Supported Agriculture
Greg Halseth and Marlene Morris: Healthy Food Healthy Communities Presentation
Presentation (Audio):
Download Audio (.mp3 – 126.5 MB)
