Feds disburse funds on community food security projects

A new wave of federal funding is set to purchase greenhouses, kitchen and processing appliances, and other food-related infrastructure for community projects.

Wednesday, federal agriculture minister Lawrence MacAulay announced up to $9.98 million in funding for community food projects through the fifth phase of the Local Food Infrastructure Fund, an outworking of the Food Policy for Canada.

The fund is geared toward “projects to improve food security across Canada, including community gardens and kitchens, refrigerated trucks and storage units for donated food, and greenhouses in remote and Northern communities,” a federal news release said. Since 2019, the Local Food Infrastructure Fund has committed $64.8 million to such projects, the release added.

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The 192 projects approved for this installment of funding include:

• Solar panels for a vertical farm at a school in High River, Alta.
• Hydroponic tower gardens, potato farming equipment and gardening tools for Kawacatoose First Nation in Saskatchewan.
• A cargo van and power pallet truck for Greater Hamilton Food Share in Hamilton, Ont.
• A tractor, greenhouse and various gardening equipment for Le Conseil des Atikamekw d’Opticiwan in Quebec.
• A cargo van for a church in Edmonton, Alta.

“In communities of all sizes, we need to continue supporting service organizations aiding families,” MacAulay said in the release.