Minister Bibeau and MP Lauzon announce support to improve food security in Saint-André-Avellin Français
SAINT-ANDRÉ-AVELLIN, QC, July 29, 2021 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is committed to helping communities invest in infrastructure that will improve their food security and increase access to healthy, nutritious and ideally local foods for families in need.
Today, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Seniors and Member of Parliament for Argenteuil–La Petite-Nation, Stéphane Lauzon, toured the Alliance Alimentaire Papineau and announced an investment of up to $70,409 to help the organization expand its community food programs.
This funding will help the Alliance purchase a cargo van and food processing equipment. The investment supports the Alliance's gleaning program, in which the community harvests from local producers and shares food between participants. The project will also support the purchase of gardening equipment and plants to establish a community garden.
This investment was made through the Local Food Infrastructure Fund. On July 9, 2021, Minister Bibeau announced a top-up of $10 million for the Fund. This additional top-up is part of the Government of Canada's commitment to provide continued support to emergency hunger relief organizations, which have faced significant challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as higher demands and fewer resources. With this additional funding to address pandemic-related food security pressures, the Fund is supporting $23 million in projects in 2021-22.
Since it first launched in August 2019, the Fund has committed $27 million to support over 625 vital food security projects across Canada, such as: community gardens and kitchens; refrigerated trucks and storage units for donated food; greenhouses in remote and northern communities; and more.
Quotes
"In Canada, no one should have to go hungry. The support announced today, through the Local Food Infrastructure Fund, will help the Alliance Alimentaire Papineau enhance its food programs and improve food security in the region. Expanding its community harvesting program will increase access to healthy food from local producers and a new community garden will allow the most vulnerable to learn new skills and feed their families. Our Government is also more than doubling the funding for projects this year and launched a new intake of applications so more communities can make meaningful improvements to increase access to healthy food for families in need."
- The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
"Alliance Alimentaire Papineau provides vital resources to the community, including important food services for seniors. This support will allow the Alliance to further enhance its offerings to increase access to safe and healthy food for those who need it most in our region."
- Stéphane Lauzon, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Seniors and Member of Parliament for Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation
"The Local Food Infrastructure Fund has allowed Alliance Alimentaire Papineau to acquire a van and a washing room, which will improve our capacity to recover the region's agricultural surplus. Together with Breakfast Club of Canada, this will allow us to deliver hundreds of breakfasts each day to several schools in the RCM. This fund allows us to ensure greater food security in the region and to actively participate in the food autonomy of Papineau RCM residents."
- Florent Trussard, Treasurer of the Board of Directors of Alliance Alimentaire Papineau
Quick Facts
- According to Statistics Canada, one in seven Canadians indicated that they live in a household where there was food insecurity over a one-month period during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The Local Food Infrastructure Fund launched in August 2019 under the Food Policy for Canada, a roadmap for a healthier and more sustainable food system in Canada.
- The $10 million top-up for the Local Food Infrastructure Fund (LFIF) is part of the additional $140 million outlined in Budget 2021 to help emergency hunger relief organizations prevent hunger, strengthen food security in our communities, and provide nutritious food to more Canadians.
- Applications for the new LFIF intake will be accepted until August 13, 2021, depending on funding availability. Eligible applicants are not-for-profit organizations that have been in operation for at least two years, or Indigenous groups. For more information and to apply, visit the Local Food Infrastructure Fund website.
- The Government of Canada is also delivering the $200-million Emergency Food Security Fund by providing funding to national and regional organizations, which in turn support food banks and local food organizations across Canada to help improve access to food for people experiencing food insecurity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Alliance Alimentaire Papineau's mission is to provide the community with tools to better feed themselves in order to develop their food autonomy and their power to act. The Alliance estimates that its gleaning program supports the collection of more than 3,000 pounds of food annually, which is provided to families in need during collective kitchen activities and culinary workshops.
- In 2019, the Alliance Alimentaire Papineau also received $19,125 under the first LFIF intake to build a multipurpose station to improve the conditions for gleaning fruit and vegetables from agricultural producers and to acquire equipment for its community kitchen.
Additional Links
- Local Food Infrastructure Fund
- Food Policy for Canada
- Emergency Food Security Fund
- Budget 2021: A Recovery Plan for Jobs, Growth and Resilience
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SOURCE Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Oliver Anderson, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, [email protected], 613-462-4327; Media Relations, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, 613-773-7972, 1-866-345-7972, [email protected]
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