Despite its abundant farmland, North Okanagan families still struggle to access fresh, nutritious food.

But more locals will soon have better access to healthy, fresh food as funding bolsters support for critical food infrastructure.

The Land to Table Network Society received $1 million through the provincial Critical Food Infrastructure Fund (CFIF) to develop the Food Shed, in the old Armstrong Cheese warehouse, which will support the distribution of nutritious food to those in need across multiple regions.

"We know that due to the global inflation and uncertainties, some people in B.C. and in our region are struggling to put good food on the table and to buy daily essentials like groceries; therefore, our government is continuing to take action," said Vernon-Monashee MLA Harwinder Sandhu, who is also parliamentary secretary for agriculture.

"We are funding critical infrastructure updates that will connect community service agencies with local food suppliers, helping more people access fresh and local food to address this challenge." 

Sandhu and Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture and Food, toured the space and got a taste of the work involved as they compiled a pallet of produce to be shipped out. 

The project will involve upgrading the cold-storage warehouse in Armstrong to collect recovery food on a large scale basis from local farmers. The shed will also be used to combine, process, store, market and distribute food.

The upgrades will help schools, institutions, food banks and non-profit organizations in nearby regions connect to year-round, local, affordable food.

"To get to some of our farther flung food banks like Golden, Revelstoke and Sicamous, who we've been working closely with, because they're rural and remote," said Liz Blakeway, executive director of the Land to Table Network. "The access to recovery food is minimal and the cost is quite high."

The Food Shed will also feed students in Golden, Kimberley and Invermere.

Eric Larocque, Rocky Mountain School District food co-ordinator, is responsible for the Feeding Futures program and says there is a real challenge to get food up to these schools.

"Having worked in the food-security sector for several years now, it has become apparent that there are large infrastructure and logistical challenges facing the Interior of British Columbia. A lot of rural and remote communities face issues accessing fresh and B.C.-grown foods, especially in our food banks and school food programs," said Larocque. 

"It is through initiatives like this that real, positive changes can be made in food access and food security for all families in our province."

The $14-million CFIF, announced in September 2023, will span three years and is administered by United Way British Columbia.

It provides grants for food-infrastructure projects that increase a community's capacity to offer nutritious and culturally appropriate food to people who need it.

"This unique, centralized distribution will increase sales opportunities for local producers, increasing employment and revenue," said Blakeway. "At the same time, it will help meet the growing demand that schools, food banks and non-profits experience for affordable food for the people they serve."

Popham says "when it comes to strengthening food security and food supply for British Columbians, collaboration is key." 

That includes partnering with Valley Direct Foods, which operates out of the same warehouse and whose trucking will be used to transport the food to places like Alexander Park Elementary in Golden.