Lever of Change

Food Security

One in five Alberta households experience food insecurity and are concerned about not having enough money for food. The onset of the pandemic in March 2020 resulted in heightened demand for emergency food assistance. This demand revealed gaps in the emergency food assistance system. Initiatives that address the cost of basic necessities such as food are essential, as without proper nutrition or access to healthy, culturally-appropriate foods, struggling Calgarians may lack the baseline of health and energy to take care of their families or move forward to face new challenges and will experience health issues, from obesity and type 2 diabetes to mental health challenges.

Downstream food security is the availability and affordability of nutritionally viable food for consumption. This includes food retail and food charity. Upstream food security is the agricultural and distribution end –where our food comes from. It is the ability of the food production system to maintain healthy land, soil, genetic diversity and agricultural resilience, along with resilient and dependable supply chains. The two are often connected though. For instance, climate change most immediately affects upstream food security, but there are inevitable follow-on effects downstream.

In December 2021, the Institute for Community Prosperity at Mount Royal University published a report connecting upstream and downstream food security. Learn more in our interview with James Stauch.

In order to redress the legacy of residential schools and advance the process of Canadian reconciliation, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission made 94 calls to action. Food security relates to two calls to action – 19 and 20, which are provided below.

“We call upon the federal government, in consultation with Aboriginal peoples, to establish measurable goals to identify and close the gaps in health outcomes between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities, and to publish annual progress reports and assess long-term trends. Such efforts would focus on indicators such as: infant mortality, maternal health, suicide, mental health, addictions, life expectancy, birth rates, infant and child health issues, chronic diseases, illness and injury incidence, and the availability of appropriate health services.”

“In order to address the jurisdictional disputes concerning Aboriginal people who do not reside on reserves, we call upon the federal government to recognize, respect, and address the distinct health needs of the Métis, Inuit, and off-reserve Aboriginal peoples.”