Timeline
2009
Squamish CAN formed
Squamish CAN (Climate Action Network) is the backbone organization for the Squamish Food Policy Council (SFPC) that strives to educate, support, and empower the community of Squamish by developing, promoting, and implementing sustainable strategies to mitigate climate change. Formed in 2009, Squamish CAN is a registered non-profit that is highly regarded in Squamish for being the centre point for many initiatives involving community partners to achieve a common goal of climate action. They have been working with municipal and regional governments, public educators, other non-profits, and local businesses to make change happen in the community. Squamish CAN also aims to increase civic engagement in food systems through community gardens, food literacy workshops, and educational programs and events, whilst cultivating partnerships at the local and regional level to influence policy. We invite you to learn more about us here: Squamish CAN.
2015
Squamish Food Charter developed
The Squamish Food Charter helps to forward ideas such as local food procurement by institutions, fair pay for farmers, and exploring different sales channels to better connect consumers to farmers. The Charter’s core principles include Community Economic Development, Ecological and Human Health, Social Justice, Collaboration and Participation, and Celebration. The document guides our organization’s and municipality's food activities.
Squamish Food Policy Council formed
The Squamish Food Policy Council (SFPC) was formed in 2015 to further sustainable food systems work in Squamish and the Sea-to-Sky region. Our mission is to ensure that all members of Squamish have access to enough nutritious, safe, ecologically sustainable, and culturally appropriate food at all times. We envision that Squamish Valley food and agricultural lands are protected and productive, and producers, processors, growers, foragers, and knowledge holders are valued and supported.
2016
Official Community Plan (OCP) released
We co-hosted two deep dive sessions to gather community knowledge and feedback about our food system for integration into the new Official Community Plan (OCP). This two-year process culminated in a dedicated seven page Food Systems section in the Squamish 2040 OCP, endorsed in 2018. This lays out at the municipal level objectives such as: Increase local food security and self-sufficiency; Increase the value of the local agri-food economy; Integrate food access, infrastructure, food rescue and redistribution services and programs within physical and virtual community food hubs in the community; support regional food security initiatives to enhance the Squamish ‘Foodshed’.
2018
Squamish-Lillooet Regional Food Task Force formed
The Squamish Lillooet Regional Food Task Force is composed of regional food stakeholders and local governments. Task Force members collaboratively identified actions to help advance the sustainability of the regional food system, one of which is the development of a Regional Procurement Policy and Pledge for broad endorsement and action, led by the SFPC.
2019
Food Asset Map created
The Squamish-Lillooet Food Asset Map is an accessible online platform that displays places where people can grow, prepare, share, buy, receive or learn about food in the Squamish to Lillooet region.
Squamish Valley Agriculture Plan developed
The Squamish Valley Agricultural Plan (SVAP) is a strategic planning document which is the result of a community planning initiative led by District of Squamish (DoS) and the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) in collaboration with the Squamish Food Policy Council, Upland Agricultural Consulting, and in close consultation with BC Ministry of Agriculture. This project was financially supported by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of Canada. The SVAP provides a coordinated approach to support agriculture and food systems in the Squamish Valley over the next 10 years. The SVAP provides a clear vision and roadmap of actions to maximize the agricultural and food sector potential of the Squamish Valley. The plan considers how rural, urban, and residential agriculture can play a role in the production of food, enhancing awareness of local food, and fostering community connections for a sustainable food system.
2020
Phase 1 of Good Food Program Pledge created
The Good Food Pledge was endorsed by the Squamish Lillooet Regional District, and the Districts of Squamish and Pemberton.The Pledge and Policy aims to support local food producers and processors through implementing food procurement practices aligned with “good food” values that serve as guiding principles to the pledge: Local Economies and Communities, Environmental Sustainability and Stewardship of Natural Resources, Nutrition, Valued Workforce, and Animal Welfare. A pledge and policy is intended to increase the percentage of local and sustainable food purchased by the District, and other future adoptees (member municipalities, institutions, academic, schools, hospitals, businesses, etc.), in turn, increasing the support of and demand for local agriculture.
'Let’s Grow Food' Program launched
In response to COVID-19, the ‘Let’s Grow Food’ program was launched in an effort to support and inspire residents of the Southern Sea-to Sky to grow harvest, save seeds, build resilience, celebrate the harvest, and share the bounty with those in the community who need it most.
2021
Phase 2 of Good Food Program
With a successful first phase seeing endorsement of the pledge and policy by the Squamish Lillooet Regional District, and municipal governments in our region (Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton, and Lillooet) we are moving on to phase two; the development of a Good Food Program. The Good Food Program will offer performance indicators, evaluations, and implementation support. The second phase of the project is to move from a symbolic pledge and internal government policy to the actualization of the Good Food Values across the region through a robust and immersive Good Food Program.
Squamish to Lillooet Regional Farm Hub - Phase 1 Research
A Farm Hub is a network of food and farm infrastructure within a region to strengthen the area’s local food economy. It involves the collaboration of farmers, organizations, and consumers to aggregate and distribute resources to make food available in a given area.
The Squamish Food Policy Council is exploring the development of an online Farm Hub for the Sea to Sky region and we are looking for feedback before we move forward in the planning phases. Learn more about the initiative here.
2022
First Good Food Gatherings hosted
The SFPC convened the gathering of diverse food sector players from across the Squamish to Lillooet region over the course of two events called the Good Food Gatherings. The inaugural event offered to Farms & Restaurants took place on November 8th, 2022 at the Raven Room in Whistler, and the second event for Institutions & Policy-Makers took place on November 23rd, 2022 at the Squamish Public Library. The goal of the Good Food Gatherings were to bring together farmers, buyers, and policy-makers from across the region to forge new relationships, learn about our regional food system, and identify pertinent gaps within it in order to begin to imagine a vision for the future of food and agriculture in our communities. Learn more about the Good Food Gatherings in the report here.
2023
Food and Farm Hub Feasibility Plan launched
The SFPC and the District of Squamish Economic Development team are developing a Squamish to Lillooet Food and Farm Hub Feasibility Plan. The purpose of the Plan is to understand the circumstances under which, and with what components, a food and farm hub(s) would work in the Squamish to Lillooet region. We envision a future food and farm hub(s) as a network of nodes and infrastructure that support the diverse needs of the region to establish a strengthened local food system. Learn more about the project here.
Squamish CAN formed
Squamish CAN (Climate Action Network) is the backbone organization for the Squamish Food Policy Council (SFPC) that strives to educate, support, and empower the community of Squamish by developing, promoting, and implementing sustainable strategies to mitigate climate change. Formed in 2009, Squamish CAN is a registered non-profit that is highly regarded in Squamish for being the centre point for many initiatives involving community partners to achieve a common goal of climate action. They have been working with municipal and regional governments, public educators, other non-profits, and local businesses to make change happen in the community. Squamish CAN also aims to increase civic engagement in food systems through community gardens, food literacy workshops, and educational programs and events, whilst cultivating partnerships at the local and regional level to influence policy. We invite you to learn more about us here: Squamish CAN.
2015
Squamish Food Charter developed
The Squamish Food Charter helps to forward ideas such as local food procurement by institutions, fair pay for farmers, and exploring different sales channels to better connect consumers to farmers. The Charter’s core principles include Community Economic Development, Ecological and Human Health, Social Justice, Collaboration and Participation, and Celebration. The document guides our organization’s and municipality's food activities.
Squamish Food Policy Council formed
The Squamish Food Policy Council (SFPC) was formed in 2015 to further sustainable food systems work in Squamish and the Sea-to-Sky region. Our mission is to ensure that all members of Squamish have access to enough nutritious, safe, ecologically sustainable, and culturally appropriate food at all times. We envision that Squamish Valley food and agricultural lands are protected and productive, and producers, processors, growers, foragers, and knowledge holders are valued and supported.
2016
Official Community Plan (OCP) released
We co-hosted two deep dive sessions to gather community knowledge and feedback about our food system for integration into the new Official Community Plan (OCP). This two-year process culminated in a dedicated seven page Food Systems section in the Squamish 2040 OCP, endorsed in 2018. This lays out at the municipal level objectives such as: Increase local food security and self-sufficiency; Increase the value of the local agri-food economy; Integrate food access, infrastructure, food rescue and redistribution services and programs within physical and virtual community food hubs in the community; support regional food security initiatives to enhance the Squamish ‘Foodshed’.
2018
Squamish-Lillooet Regional Food Task Force formed
The Squamish Lillooet Regional Food Task Force is composed of regional food stakeholders and local governments. Task Force members collaboratively identified actions to help advance the sustainability of the regional food system, one of which is the development of a Regional Procurement Policy and Pledge for broad endorsement and action, led by the SFPC.
2019
Food Asset Map created
The Squamish-Lillooet Food Asset Map is an accessible online platform that displays places where people can grow, prepare, share, buy, receive or learn about food in the Squamish to Lillooet region.
Squamish Valley Agriculture Plan developed
The Squamish Valley Agricultural Plan (SVAP) is a strategic planning document which is the result of a community planning initiative led by District of Squamish (DoS) and the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) in collaboration with the Squamish Food Policy Council, Upland Agricultural Consulting, and in close consultation with BC Ministry of Agriculture. This project was financially supported by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of Canada. The SVAP provides a coordinated approach to support agriculture and food systems in the Squamish Valley over the next 10 years. The SVAP provides a clear vision and roadmap of actions to maximize the agricultural and food sector potential of the Squamish Valley. The plan considers how rural, urban, and residential agriculture can play a role in the production of food, enhancing awareness of local food, and fostering community connections for a sustainable food system.
2020
Phase 1 of Good Food Program Pledge created
The Good Food Pledge was endorsed by the Squamish Lillooet Regional District, and the Districts of Squamish and Pemberton.The Pledge and Policy aims to support local food producers and processors through implementing food procurement practices aligned with “good food” values that serve as guiding principles to the pledge: Local Economies and Communities, Environmental Sustainability and Stewardship of Natural Resources, Nutrition, Valued Workforce, and Animal Welfare. A pledge and policy is intended to increase the percentage of local and sustainable food purchased by the District, and other future adoptees (member municipalities, institutions, academic, schools, hospitals, businesses, etc.), in turn, increasing the support of and demand for local agriculture.
'Let’s Grow Food' Program launched
In response to COVID-19, the ‘Let’s Grow Food’ program was launched in an effort to support and inspire residents of the Southern Sea-to Sky to grow harvest, save seeds, build resilience, celebrate the harvest, and share the bounty with those in the community who need it most.
2021
Phase 2 of Good Food Program
With a successful first phase seeing endorsement of the pledge and policy by the Squamish Lillooet Regional District, and municipal governments in our region (Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton, and Lillooet) we are moving on to phase two; the development of a Good Food Program. The Good Food Program will offer performance indicators, evaluations, and implementation support. The second phase of the project is to move from a symbolic pledge and internal government policy to the actualization of the Good Food Values across the region through a robust and immersive Good Food Program.
Squamish to Lillooet Regional Farm Hub - Phase 1 Research
A Farm Hub is a network of food and farm infrastructure within a region to strengthen the area’s local food economy. It involves the collaboration of farmers, organizations, and consumers to aggregate and distribute resources to make food available in a given area.
The Squamish Food Policy Council is exploring the development of an online Farm Hub for the Sea to Sky region and we are looking for feedback before we move forward in the planning phases. Learn more about the initiative here.
2022
First Good Food Gatherings hosted
The SFPC convened the gathering of diverse food sector players from across the Squamish to Lillooet region over the course of two events called the Good Food Gatherings. The inaugural event offered to Farms & Restaurants took place on November 8th, 2022 at the Raven Room in Whistler, and the second event for Institutions & Policy-Makers took place on November 23rd, 2022 at the Squamish Public Library. The goal of the Good Food Gatherings were to bring together farmers, buyers, and policy-makers from across the region to forge new relationships, learn about our regional food system, and identify pertinent gaps within it in order to begin to imagine a vision for the future of food and agriculture in our communities. Learn more about the Good Food Gatherings in the report here.
2023
Food and Farm Hub Feasibility Plan launched
The SFPC and the District of Squamish Economic Development team are developing a Squamish to Lillooet Food and Farm Hub Feasibility Plan. The purpose of the Plan is to understand the circumstances under which, and with what components, a food and farm hub(s) would work in the Squamish to Lillooet region. We envision a future food and farm hub(s) as a network of nodes and infrastructure that support the diverse needs of the region to establish a strengthened local food system. Learn more about the project here.