Food insecurity is persistent and worsening. While structural inequality and social exclusion have long driven hunger, which is alarming enough, our food system is becoming ever more precarious with respect to a growing number of local and global crises. The traditional food charity model is completely inadequate in addressing complex inequalities, a corporate-controlled food system is ensuring industry profit while driving up diet related chronic illness, climate impacts now threaten our food supply, and locally we are seeing urban development pressures which limit food access and choice.

Community food organizations and those with lived experience have always known about these crises and are asking whether our current food policies and funding are matching the current realities in our communities.

A far more vocal food movement and public in recent years are now demanding upstream solutions that will support a more just food system.  The strength of Vancouver's highly collaborative and networked food community that has been cultivated over the last 30 years provides the critical groundwork for the Vancouver Food Justice Coalition to organize and build on the growing awareness and need for change.

As such, the Vancouver Food Justice Coalition formed to create space for community-based organizations and those with lived and living experience to join forces and engage in meaningful policy and systems change work. We aim to advance food justice advocacy with community knowledge - working through a community driven, collaborative, and cross-sectoral movement building that support systems change work.