e-4719 (Food and drink)

Petition to the Government of Canada

• Provincial farmers' market nutrition coupon programs are successful with multiple impacts including strengthening food security, sustaining local farmers and foodlands, providing nutritionally vulnerable households access to healthy locally grown foods, promoting community inclusion and reducing social isolation, and positively impacting the physical and mental health of participants by increasing the amount and diversity of fresh foods they eat;
• In 2022 18.5% of all Canadians experienced food insecurity, up from nearly 16% in 2021;
• The Government of Canada introduced its Food Policy for Canada in 2019, the Emergency Food Security Fund in 2020, and the Local Food Infrastructure Fund in 2020, yet Canada’s food insecurity rates continue to rise;
• Since 2012, the BC Farmers' Market Nutrition Coupon Program has increased access to healthy, nutritious food at farmers' markets while directly supporting BC farmers and supporting food security across the province;
• Other provinces including Nova Scotia and Manitoba and their provincial farmers’ market organisations have also implemented highly successful programs;
• 100% of coupon dollars redeemed in farmers' market nutrition coupon programs directly benefit Canadian farmers and producers;
• Demand for food security measures is soaring in Canada; and
• A federal nutrition coupon program fund would assist in meeting this demand, encourage provinces without a provincial nutrition coupon program to create one, and support those provinces who have a provincial nutrition coupon program to expand to meet demand.