Food insecurity has been a hot topic of conversation in City Hall for months now, and city administration presented a report to the city’s Public and Protective Services Committee regarding some potential solutions to the problem.
Within their report, administration describes food insecurity as a “critical issue” in Grande Prairie, with 19 per cent of GP households reporting they face problems affording food often, and nearly half of all households saying they face the problem occasionally.
As a result, officials suggested that council consider a centralized “backbone” organization to help assist Grande Prairie residents facing food insecurity.
“We need to transform how we view and respond to food insecurity,” administration says. “This means shifting from traditional methods to more dynamic, client-centered approaches that address both immediate needs and long-term wellbeing.”
According to their report, administration says the current landscape of food insecurity boils down to four main points- organizations operating independently without a unified strategy, insufficient resources, unmet needs forcing residents to utilize numerous services to meet their basic needs, and missed funding opportunities.
Following their presentation, the PPS committee opted to recommend administration engage with stakeholders to explore the potential of a new community-based organization to address food insecurity by coordinating efforts, streamlining services, and foster collaboration between different entities.
