Home »
Local continues to expand food access in Fernie
Wildsight Elk Valley’s food-based social enterprise, Local, is now two years old. The Fernie storefront was founded to increase year-round local food access, encouraging local communities to support small farmers and food producers in the area.
Wildsight Elk Valley has released Local’s second Annual Impact Report, which shows continued growth and community engagement in the second year of the project.
Over $290,900 was paid to local food businesses in 2022, 43% of which stayed in the Elk Valley. Over half a million dollars have now been sent to small farms and food producers since the store’s opening two years ago.
Local opened in December of 2020, and in two years has grown from the original 17 vendors to more than 80. The variety of local food available has continued to expand, and currently ranges from farm-fresh eggs and meat, to honey, flour, prepared meals, and local produce, including 90 different types of fruit and vegetables sold over the course of 2022.
Local Store Coordinator Jennifer Lennon noted: “A highlight of 2022 was securing grant funding from Second Harvest, enabling Local to provide over $18,000 worth of locally-produced food to vulnerable community members through a partnership with the Fernie Women’s Resource Centre.”
Over 75 families and individuals participated in the eight-week program, and feedback was overwhelmingly positive. As one participant expressed: “I normally couldn’t afford the amount of fresh produce [that the program] provided.” Another called the local products on offer “good food, that you feel good about feeding to your family.”
Wildsight Elk Valley would like to thank all of its dedicated volunteers, vendors, Fresh Picks Club donors, and customers, who support the store with their time, donations, and passion for local food security.
Wildsight Elk Valley aims to cultivate a thriving, knowledgeable and resilient local food culture in the Elk Valley through education, advocacy and community engagement. Local is a social enterprise aiming to provide a more sustainable alternative to imported industrially grown food through the support of local farmers and producers.
Wildsight Elk Valley
