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Local Food

Eating locally grown food connects you with nature and your community, reduces your ecological footprint, decreases waste from packaging and the food miles your food travels, and eases concerns about food safety. Our mild, West Coast climate allows us to grow a wide variety of food throughout the year.

Local food is also fresher, more nutritious, and better tasting. And growing it yourself is more rewarding then simply purchasing it.

The City supports local food through farmers markets, community gardens, urban farms, community organizations (such as the Edible Garden Project) and other initiatives that connect consumers and growers.

 

Food Security

The term 'food security' is often misunderstood. Food security refers to the ongoing availability of safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate food. This is also important for our residents in the City of North Vancouver. There are a number of ways one can improve their access to nutritious food. The City works with groups such as the Table Matters Network, Vancouver Coastal Health, Metro Vancouver and the Edible Garden Project to increase secure access to food. Examples of programs include:

  • Developing policies and long term plans: including food security issues in the Official Community Plan and endorsing the North Shore Food Charter
  • Working with community partners to increase opportunities to grow food, whether in community gardens or in urban farms
  • Look at developing programs and educating our residents about the importance of reducing and recovering food waste.

 

Urban Agriculture

Urban agriculture refers to growing food within an urban area, where no agricultural land formally exists. It includes community gardens, farmers markets, hobby beekeeping, keeping urban chickens, shared garden plots, growing fruit, berries and vegetables in your back yard and edible landscapes.

The City of North Vancouver encourages urban agriculture because it supports the following goals:

Urban Agriculture

Learn about Urban Agriculture in this video.

  • Enhances the City's food security and reduces our ecological footprint by encouraging more locally grown foods
  • Encourages increased social interaction in high density developments
  • Supports and encourages environmentally and socially sustainable activities

North Shore Food Asset Map

The North Shore Community Food Asset Map lists up to 362 organizations and locations across the North Shore offering services and goods such as low-cost meals, subsidized groceries, community gardens and education, food assistance programs, school breakfast programs, grocery retail stores, and more. Learn more

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