The Fernie Food Action Strategy was a first step toward a vision of a resilient local food system and improved community-level food security in the Elk Valley.
The Strategy was delivered in partnership with the Community Energy Association and the Wildsight Elk Valley branch with financial support from the Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia.
This project arose at a time when the global pandemic has highlighted the importance of a local supply chain, food access and robust local agriculture.
We gathered input from residents, farmers, processors, gardeners, and City of Fernie staff, and arrived at four actionable recommendations, shown in the graphic to the right.
Key Objectives & Activities
Identify and clarify the current gaps and vulnerabilities in the Elk Valley food web.
Activity: Engage local residents and local food advocates through surveys, interviews, and other online engagement tools.
Research and compile food security initiatives, policies, and actions.
Activity: Scan food security plans and policy and compile into a reference document. Identify key actions, “quick win’ opportunities, balanced with long-term enabling policies.
Develop a Food Action Strategy to enable enhanced food production activities.
Activity: Compile identified opportunities into a Food Action Strategy to reduce barriers and increase community food resiliency including key actions and land use policy recommendations specific to the City of Fernie.
Develop a Food Action Strategy to enable enhanced food production activities.
Activity: Engage local government on enabling policies that reflect and support the City of Fernie Official Community Plan
Celebrate Food, Get Involved!
- Join the Fernie Food Security Facebook page
- Fernie Community Food Action Survey - survey is closed
- Participate in the community "food celebration" sessions
- Talk to three people about the Fernie Food Action project and share this webpage
- Bookmark this webpage
Press Release (page 6) - Click here
Free Press Coverage (page 2) - Click here
Fernie Fix Article (page 20-21) - Click here
Schedule of Events
- August 27th to October 31st - Fernie Residents Survey - See survey results
- September 23rd - Online Community Conversation #1 - Watch the video recording
- October 2020 - Project Update to City of Fernie Council - Watch the video recording
- January 2021 - Presentation to City of Fernie, Committee of the Whole - View the slide deck
- March 2021 - Final report on this first stage of the Fernie Food Action Strategy - Read the report
