Food Security

Food security is having access to enough affordable nutritional food to eat. In rural areas, such as Hornby, transportation is a barrier to affordable food as distances between destinations in rural areas are often much farther than those in the city, and are not reasonably walkable. It is a common misconception that those living in the country are able to grow their own food, but this is not always the case. Not everyone has access to land for growing and if they do, the cost of deer fencing can be prohibitive. Growing your own food also requires knowledge and free time. Both of these factors are not available to all.

Barriers

• Costs are high for:
  • Food on island
  • Locally grown and produced food
  • Healthy and organic food
• Lack of access to land for growing
• Lack of knowledge to grow food
• Stigma around food assistance programs
• No breakfast programs in preschool or elementary school

Denman Island Agriculture Plan Steering Committee Vision

An Island where we feed each other abundantly because farming is a viable and valued foundation of our sustainable community.¹

Hornby Island Community Vision

There is an “organic horticulture, local food self-sufficiency, permaculture, aquaculture, and creating value-added agricultural products.

There is a strong market for local agricultural products.

There are facilities for food production available for community use.²