Regional Food Procurement Social Enterprise Project
The Regional Food Procurement Social Enterprise project, led by the Kootenay Food Council, is exploring new ways to better connect and strengthen the food system across the Kootenay region.
Why This Work Matters
Over the past several years, the region has worked to further local food initiatives such as school food programs, food hubs, increased supports for farms as well as food-based businesses. However, the broader system for sourcing, purchasing, and distributing food is still largely disjointed. Many organizations operate independently, with limited alignment when it comes to logistics, warehousing, and transportation.
As a result, the region continues to face:
- Higher operating and distribution costs
- Underutilized infrastructure
- Missed opportunities for local producers to access markets
- Ongoing loss of food spending outside the region
In recent years, these challenges have become more pronounced, further highlighting the fragility of the current system. Rising transportation costs, reduced rural delivery volumes, and disruptions such as floods, wildfires and industry closures further increase food insecurity and underscore the need for a more coordinated, resilient approach.
Project Vision
This project is working towards the development of a more connected regional food procurement and distribution system. Through a shared network, it will bring together producers, processors, retailers, suppliers, schools, community organizations, warehouses, and transporters.
By improving coordination and making better use of existing infrastructure, the initiative aims to:
- Strengthen local supply chains
- Expand access to locally produced food
- Create more stable and predictable market for regional businesses
- Improve efficiency and reduce costs across the system
- Keep more food dollars circulating in the local economy
What We’re Doing
Currently the project team is engaging with stakeholders across the food system to better understand how food moves throughout the region; from production and processing to aggregation, distribution and delivery. This work will focus on identifying how food is currently procured and distributed, key gaps, constraints and inefficiencies, opportunities for better coordination and shared services and potential models to support a regional approach.
The insights gathered will help shape a practical and sustainable model that reflects the needs of the region. Over time, this work aims to support local businesses, improve access to food, strengthen rural economies and contribute to a more resilient and self-sustaining food system.
Get Involved
We are currently connecting with organizations and businesses across the Kootenay-Boundary region to inform this work.
You can get involved by:
- Participating in a stakeholder interview to share your experiences and insights
- Staying informed as the project evolves
We welcome perspectives from across the food system, including producers, processors, suppliers, distributors, retailers, food access organizations and institutions.
If you are interested in participating or would like to learn more, please contact:
Larissa Lychenko, Project Coordinator
comms@ckfoodpolicy.ca