Traditional Treaty 8 Territory.
This initiative is led by the Peace Region Farmers Institute in partnership with the Prince George Salvation Army, the Fort St. John Salvation Army and BC Bus North. The Northern Routes Food Network is enhancing food security in northeastern BC by overcoming distribution challenges. The initiative supports rural and remote communities by partnering with BC Bus North, while exploring additional partners for growth and expansion, to transport nutritious, rescued, and locally produced food efficiently and affordably among food equity organizations in the northeast.
This decentralized food distribution network uses existing BC Bus North routes to provide equitable access to food, promote Indigenous food sovereignty, and encourage local food production. By addressing barriers such as limited infrastructure, high poverty levels, rising food costs, and low population density, the network reduces costs, guarantees affordable food for vulnerable groups, and supplies locally produced food for the region.
It also fosters collaboration among food access groups, producers, and community leaders. This scalable, sustainable model creates a more resilient, community-focused food economy in the north and beyond.
You can read more about the Northern Routes Food Network initiative in their blog.
Story of Impact
The story below was shared by this initiative as their Most Significant Transformation Story, submitted as part of their final report. It reflects the perspectives and experiences of individuals involved in each initiative.
The most significant change to come from this grant has been the way the Prince George Salvation Army Food Bank now works in partnership with regional food banks and local partners to support food access across Northern BC through our partnership with BC Bus North. What began as a project to improve coordination and distribution has grown into a more connected regional network, grounded in trust, shared planning, and a stronger focus on local food distribution. The grant created the capacity to move beyond reactive, day-to-day operations and intentionally build relationships that are strengthening the regional food system.
A key shift has been the PG Salvation Army Food Bank taking on a coordinating role with regional food banks that were previously working largely in isolation. Through more consistent communication and collaboration with a centralized online ordering platform, food is now moved more efficiently across the region via BC Bus North, and smaller or remote food banks have better access to support and the ability to bulk-purchase with the Salvation Army hub in Prince George.
At the same time, the project expanded local food distribution by building new partnerships with schools, local producers, and commercial food businesses. These relationships helped redirect surplus and locally sourced food into the food bank system, increasing access to fresher, more nutritious food while keeping resources within the local community.
One small but powerful example of how this project has changed the way food banks work together can be seen in the Robson Valley. The McBride Food Bank, Robson Valley Community Services Society, and the Valemount Food Bank now coordinate their food pickups and orders through Prince George using the Northern Routes network. Instead of each organization making separate trips to Prince George or struggling to manage logistics on their own, they take turns picking up food orders from BC Bus North in their community and ordering food on behalf of the group.
This shared approach has reduced transportation costs, eased staffing and volunteer capacity constraints, and ensured more consistent access to food for all three communities. Just as importantly, it reflects a shift in mindset—from operating independently to working as a team. What used to be a logistical challenge is now a collaborative routine, showing how stronger regional relationships can translate into practical, everyday solutions that directly benefit northern communities.
The initiative adapted as needs emerged, responding to feedback from partners about transportation challenges, storage limitations, and the need for more predictable distribution. This flexibility allowed the project to remain grounded in real community needs rather than a fixed model. The change feels significant because it has strengthened both relationships and systems, reinforcing collaboration as essential in a northern/rural context where resources are limited, and challenges such as weather and distance are ongoing.
Looking ahead, the vision is to continue and scale this work beyond the grant by expanding the regional food bank network across all of Northern BC, deepening local food production partnerships with farmer-led groups, and expanding collaboration with schools and commercial food businesses.
The grant did more than support a single project; it laid the foundation for a more resilient, cooperative regional food system that is better equipped to respond to ongoing food insecurity and future challenges. It has been a privilege to work on this project, and I look forward to what the future holds!
Project Poster
All posters are downloadable in print format. Original posters were designed at 3ft by 4ft; as such, we advise you to print at a similar ratio to ensure text and images are as accessible as possible.
Northern Routes Food Network: The Northern Routes Food Network improves food security in northeastern BC by overcoming distribution…
Interactive Map
Use the interactive map below to see who we funded across the north.
You can filter according to project type: Large-Scale, Ideas Lab, and Rapid Stimulus.
