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Food Security

The Population & Public Health program works with a variety of partners to improve food security in BC.
Overview

What is food security?

Food security is essential to support health and well-being. The goals of food security are to increase phsyical, social, and economic access to nutritious, safe, personally acceptable food with a focus on increasing availability of healthy food produced in a sustainable manner. 

We also talk about household food insecurity, which is when a household worries about or lacks the financial means to buy healthy, safe, personally acceptable food.

How can food security be addressed?

Addressing food security is complex and requires collaboration and commitment across sectors to ensure programs and policies support access to, and availability of, healthy, sustainable food.

Improving food security requires intersectoral action and collaboration.

PHSA facilitates provincial coordination of stakeholders from various government ministries, all health authorities, and non-governmental and community organizations to increase intersectoral collaboration and to inform food security initiatives across the province.

Food security requires various approaches. 

In light of emerging research, PPH recognizes the need to distinguish between community food security and household food insecurity. PPH supports the broad systems approach of community food security and its emphasis on sustainable food systems and local community collaboration and capacity building. PPH also supports food insecurity at the household level, which focuses more on the ability to afford healthy food. 

For more information and resources on food security in B.C.:
Our activities

PPH is actively involved in advancing food security in BC and plays a key role in leading and facilitating collaboration across government, health authority and non-government sectors to increase food security. 

PPH’s food security role started in 2005 to support the health authorities with implementation of a health promotion initiative called the Community Food Action Initiative (CFAI). PPH coordinated activities and program evaluation, developed resources, and collated evidence. 

The scope of food security work now extends beyond the CFAI to address multiple strategies that impact food security as outlined in the Ministry of Health core public health program paper on food security. Examples of PPH activities include:

  • Coordinating a provincial health authority food security committee
  • Leading and facilitating collaborative provincial food security planning
  • Collecting, analyzing, and reporting on various measures of food security in BC
  • Working with partners to support knowledge and awareness of food security issues among Aboriginal populations
  • Managing the BC Food Security Gateway, a website that helps people and organizations across BC access food security information and resources
Reports & resources
For more information and resources on food security in B.C., visit the BC Food Security Gateway.

Official PHSA-PPH resources and reports produced for/by PPH:

 

Analysis of food safety barriers to providing non-market traditional foods to Indigenous children in childcare settings, as well as what enables centres to successfully incorporate traditional foods. A collaboration with the BC Aboriginal Child Care Society.


 

Analysis of household food insecurity in British Columbia, completed in partnership with researchers at the University of Toronto.


Released: August 2016
 

 

Presents consolidated evidence on current issues related to BC agriculture and its connection to health.


Released: April 2016
 

 
1. Food Costing Resources

Food costing involves the biannual collection of food prices in stores across BC for 67 food items in order to calculate the average monthly cost of an adequately nutritious diet. Regional health authority staff and volunteers collect food prices.

 

Audience: Food costing volunteers


2. Food Costing 2015 Report

Data on the average monthly cost of a nutritionally adequate, balanced diet across BC in 2015 based on the National Nutritious Food Basket.

Released: February 2016

 

Short videos that explore the role of traditional foods for Aboriginal people and demonstrate cooking methods.

Audience: Youth and youth-orientated organizations, as well as anyone with an interest in Indigenous foods
Released: August 2014
 

 

A groundbreaking evidence-based and expert-informed resource that links planning principles to health outcomes.

Audience: Anyone involved in work that affects the built environment
Released: April, 2014
 

 

A case study exploring access to traditional foods for urban Aboriginal people

Released: September 2011

 

 

An action framework for public institutions to support the determinants of healthy eating while promoting a local and sustainable food supply.

Audience: e.g., health authorities, educational institutions, childcare facilities, and local governments
Released: June 2011
 

 

A synthesis of current evidence on key issues impacting food security in BC.

Released: August 2010

 

 

Detailed descriptions of food security indicators to guide their use as part of the Food Security Core Program.

Released: May 2010

 

 

Resources to help communities undertaking a community food assessment.

Audience: Local governments & community organizations
Released: March 2008 (guide) & March 2009 (companion tool)
 

 

Provides ideas for local governments action on how to build food secure communities.

Audience: Local governments, anyone working with local governments to promote food security
Released: June 2008
 

 

A discussion paper about policy options and other measures that might help address issues of food security and income security in British Columbia.

Released: 2007

 

 

A variety of resources related to the implementation and evaluation of CFAI in B.C.

Audience: Health authorities
Released: 2006-2008
 

A groundbreaking evidence-based and expert-informed resource that links planning principles to health outcomes.

Audience: Anyone involved in work that affects the built environment
Released: April, 2014

Survey: * if you are downloading the HBE Linkages Toolkit, please complete a survey to help us understand your needs better.

A case study exploring access to traditional foods for urban Aboriginal people

Released: September 2011

An action framework for public institutions to support the determinants of healthy eating while promoting a local and sustainable food supply.

Audience: e.g., health authorities, educational institutions, childcare facilities, and local governments
Released: June 2011

Content

Reports & resources
For more information and resources on food security in B.C., visit the BC Food Security Gateway.

Official PHSA-PPH resources and reports produced for/by PPH:

 

 

Short videos that explore the role of traditional foods for Aboriginal people and demonstrate cooking methods.

Audience: Youth and youth-orientated organizations, as well as anyone with an interest in Indigenous foods
Released: August 2014
 

 

A groundbreaking evidence-based and expert-informed resource that links planning principles to health outcomes.

Audience: Anyone involved in work that affects the built environment
Released: April, 2014
 

 

A case study exploring access to traditional foods for urban Aboriginal people

Released: September 2011

 

 

An action framework for public institutions to support the determinants of healthy eating while promoting a local and sustainable food supply.

Audience: e.g., health authorities, educational institutions, childcare facilities, and local governments
Released: June 2011
 

 

A synthesis of current evidence on key issues impacting food security in BC.

Released: August 2010

 

 

Detailed descriptions of food security indicators to guide their use as part of the Food Security Core Program.

Released: May 2010

 

 

Fact sheet on the role of local governments in supporting healthy & sustainable local meat production.

Released: 2009

 

 

Fact sheet on food safety when buying local food and BC food systems resources.

Audience: Consumers, general public
Released: 2009
 

 

Resources to help communities undertaking a community food assessment.

Audience: Local governments & community organizations
Released: March 2008 (guide) & March 2009 (companion tool)
 

 

Provides ideas for local governments action on how to build food secure communities.

Audience: Local governments, anyone working with local governments to promote food security
Released: June 2008
 

 

A discussion paper about policy options and other measures that might help address issues of food security and income security in British Columbia.

Released: 2007

 

 

A variety of resources related to the implementation and evaluation of CFAI in B.C.

Audience: Health authorities
Released: 2006-2008
 

A groundbreaking evidence-based and expert-informed resource that links planning principles to health outcomes.

Audience: Anyone involved in work that affects the built environment
Released: April, 2014

Survey: * if you are downloading the HBE Linkages Toolkit, please complete a survey to help us understand your needs better.

A case study exploring access to traditional foods for urban Aboriginal people

Released: September 2011

An action framework for public institutions to support the determinants of healthy eating while promoting a local and sustainable food supply.

Audience: e.g., health authorities, educational institutions, childcare facilities, and local governments
Released: June 2011

Content
SOURCE: Food Security ( )
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