Food has always been integral to people’s identity, health, and culture, yet many rural, remote, and Indigenous communities find themselves working and living within a broken food system that does not meet their needs. In 2021, Ecotrust Canada began planting seeds to address food security and sovereignty on the North Coast of British Columbia. Since then, we have nurtured explorations in urban farming and growing varieties of kelp and shellfish in the ocean. Our Food Systems program aims to build upon the groundswell of food security work already undertaken by local organizations. We bring our research, fundraising, and facilitation skills to farming and food systems projects on both sea and land. In partnership with First Nations and local organizations, we are contributing to a collaborative, vibrant, and innovative local food economy supported by regional food production and resilient, sustainable marketplaces.
The Challenge
Prince Rupert is a vibrant little coastal city of 14,000 people — over half of which are First Nations. While this region experiences the highest rate of food insecurity in the province (1 in 7 households, 16.6%, according to the BCCDC), it is one of the largest seafood exporters in BC and home to people with rich and abundant food traditions. This contradiction is the result of a long history of colonial governments and extractive capitalism that have worked together to erode food sovereignty and justice. We believe that lasting and transformative solutions can and should be generated from within and led by communities.
What is possible
Collaborative, vibrant, and innovative local food economies are built by and for communities, supported by local and regional food production and marketplaces that are resilient and sustainable.
Over the next five years, our partnerships will prove the possible by:
- Demonstrating that regenerative ocean farming is viable and sustainable on the West Coast of Canada.
- Re-establishing the infrastructure, facilities, and partnerships necessary to revive a regional mariculture economy for BC’s North Coast.
- Supporting specific place-based and Indigenous food sovereignty projects and initiatives.
Why Ecotrust Canada
The Food Systems program is the culmination of three years of research, pilot projects, and community engagements facilitated by community development and social change organizations that partnered with our North Coast Innovation Lab (NCIL). Through this work, it became clear that food security and sovereignty are issues of great urgency and importance to community members. The need for more resilient sources of local, fresh food became more apparent after the COVID-19 crisis exposed cracks in the sea- and agri-food supply chain.
In 2021, we launched the Food Systems program as a potential pathway to greater food security and sovereignty on Coast Ts’msyen territory. We partnered with Metlakatla First Nation to create a regionally-scaled, Metlakatla-owned regenerative ocean farm. The project aims to build pathways to greater food security and sovereignty on Coast Ts’msyen territory, to strengthen economic opportunities for the Nation and its members, and to kick start a regenerative ocean farming model that benefits the environment and community, and which can be scaled to other coastal communities. In our three years of collaboration, we have built the relationships, knowledge base, awareness of market and mariculture business models, and site-specific data to support a thriving mariculture economy here on the North Coast.
“Our vision for the farm is a small, self-sustaining operation that keeps our members working out on the water. Ecotrust Canada is helping us make that a reality by fundraising, supporting the operation, and just doing what needs to be done on the ground with our team.” — Ryan Leighton, Director of Operations, Metlakatla Development Corporation
What is Regenerative Ocean Farming?
The practice uses the entire water column to farm a variety of foods that grow well together while enhancing the surrounding environment by working in harmony with local marine ecosystems. For example, growing kelp, which absorbs carbon and could mitigate ocean acidification, alongside shellfish, whose shells could become weaker if the ocean becomes more acidic and who benefit from the sheltered habitat that kelp provides. Learn more here.
How to support us
If you’re in Northwest BC or getting into the mariculture community, look for us at events or reach out to one of our food systems team members.
We have a lot planned for 2024 and 2025. Please donate to help our developing marine and terrestrial food programs.
Stories
- A year on a regenerative kelp farm in northern BC
- Seaweed — a sustainable, renewable fertilizer source found locally in Northwest BC
- Why we need to farm the ocean for kelp and shellfish
- Introducing the first seed library for rainy North Coast growers
- Composting: The greens, the browns, and the nutrients
Research
- Results from the Reimaging Food Systems project in Prince Rupert, BC (2024)
- Northwest Food Systems Initiative: Lessons Learned (2023)
- NCIL: Restorative Ocean Farming Project (2020)
- NCIL: Exploring restorative ocean farming (2019)
The Team
Celine Trojand, Food Systems Director
Mary Williams, Assistant Director
Dianne Villesèche, Community Food Systems Innovation Program Manager