Food Secure Vancouver Study- Phase One report ready for your reading pleasure

In 2008, the Vancouver Food Policy Council embarked upon a two-year Food Secure Vancouver Study to identify, review and analyze key factors that are required to support and enhance Vancouver's food security. We struck a committee to identify the key determinants of food security, denote benchmarks, and recommend strategic priorities and policies to be considered by the City of Vancouver to assist with achieving food security.

We commissioned a consulting team to produce a Food Secure Vancouver Baseline Report. We asked for an overview of current and projected food production, food demand, and the food distribution system supplying the City of Vancouver and its surrounding region. This report documents their findings and provides background information for further work.

The prime questions for us now are: How sustainable is the global food system in the face of global stresses caused by, among other factors, increasing population, climate change, higher energy costs, health concerns, and changing consumer preferences? What role does the local food system play in this? And, what are the implications for food security in Vancouver?

This report and other work and collaboration by the Food Secure Vancouver Study committee are initial steps towards answering these and other essential questions. Your comments are welcome.