Large-Scale:
Innovative, adaptable models for food production, distribution, processing, food literacy,
and Indigenous food sovereignty, with strong potential for scaling and replication across the province.
Large-Scale Innovations for
Food Systems Transformation.
The Large Scale Innovations for Food Systems Transformation Program supported innovative, multi-sector initiatives that drive food systems transformation — initiatives often ineligible for conventional funding. Over 26 months (January 2024 to March 2026), the program allocated $1.7 million to seven initiatives across Northern BC, selected for their readiness to collaborate with diverse partners and communities to develop regional and northern models for food systems transformation.
Developed in response to findings from the Strengthening Food Systems and Dignified Food Access in Northern BC project, the program was intentionally low-barrier, providing ongoing PHABC support alongside funding to ensure initiatives were effectively designed and sustainably implemented.
Funded initiatives explored innovative approaches to food production, distribution, access, literacy, local agency, and policy — serving as pilots for sustainable solutions that prioritize long-term food security and food sovereignty. Together, these initiatives cultivated inclusive, community-led solutions contributing to more resilient food systems across Northern BC.
Featured Partners
The following partners are featured on the webpage video banner.
Please click on the logos to visit their websites.
Large-Scale Statistics
$1.7 Million distributed
7 initiatives funded
Northern PHABC Documentary
1 Northern Food Summit
3,018 People Directly Impacted
Large-Scale Initiatives
The Food Forest Initiative
Traditional Territory of the Ts’msyen Nation (Prince Rupert). This initiative is led by the Ts’msyen Culture Society (TCS) to develop a native plant nursery, focusing on growing Moolks (Pacific Crab Apples),…
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Fraser Lake Elementary and Secondary School Farm (FLESS)
Traditional Territories of the Stellat’en First Nation and Nadleh Whut’en (Fraser Lake). This initiative is led by School District 91 and the Fraser Lake Elementary and Secondary School. The FLESS…
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North Coast Food Hub
Planting the Seeds for Food Sustainability, Security & Sovereignty in the North Traditional Territory of the Ts’msyen Nation (Prince Rupert). This initiative is led by Ecotrust Canada and School District…
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Northern Routes Food Network
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…
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Prince George Community Kitchen
Traditional Territory of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation (Prince George). This initiative is led by the Prince George Salvation Army, which has developed a community kitchen that…
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Sik-E-Dakh Meat Processing and Wrapping Facility
Sik-E-Dakh (Glen Vowell), Gitxsan, Lax Yip. This initiative is led by the Sik-E-Dakh First Nation to develop a meat-processing and wrapping facility that enhances local food sovereignty by…
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UNBC: Northern British Columbia Graduate Students’ Society (NBCGSS)
Traditional Territory of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation (Prince George). This initiative installed a commercial freezer for NBCGSS’s Food Bank Program, enabling the Food Bank to…
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UNBC: Northern Women’s Centre
Traditional Territory of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation (Prince George). This initiative shifted the Northern Women’s Centre’s food access from a charity-based model to a community-led,…
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UNBC: Office of Indigenous Initiatives (OII)
Traditional Territory of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation (Prince George). This initiative enhanced the reach, coordination, and institutional capacity of existing programs by supporting the First…
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UNBC: Prince George Public Interest Research Group (PGPIRG)
Traditional Territory of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation (Prince George). This initiative supported PGPIRG in advancing their food security programs, including The Good Food Box, the…
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UNBC: Food Research Hub
Traditional Territory of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation (Prince George). This initiative hired a communications assistant and began developing a website to showcase the Hub’s vision, goals, team…
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UNBC: Northern Undergraduate Student Society (NUGSS)
Traditional Territory of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation (Prince George). The initiative involved purchasing a new stand-up freezer for the Food Bank, which significantly increased its frozen-bread storage…
Learn MoreInteractive 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.
Posters
A project poster presentation was featured as part of the Northern Harvest Summit, providing an opportunity to showcase 48 initiatives from the Rapid Stimulus, Ideas Lab, and Large-Scale grant streams.
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.
Sik-E-Dakh Meat Processing & Wrapping Facility: Strengthens local food sovereignty by providing safe, affordable processing for wild…
Fraser Lake Elementary and Secondary School Farm: The FLESS Farm will establish a year-round 100’ greenhouse, over an acre of in-ground food…
Northern Routes Food Network: The Northern Routes Food Network improves food security in northeastern BC by overcoming distribution…
Large-Scale Chapter
Overview:
The Large Scale Innovations for Food Systems Transformation Program, delivered by PHABC in partnership with Food Banks BC, invested $1.7 million across seven initiatives in Northern BC over 26 months (January 2024 to March 2026). The project worked with organizations identified through previous PHABC research as ready, willing, and able to act on large scale food systems transformation initiatives across Northern BC.
Designed to be low-barrier, the program co-developed initiatives with grantees and provided ongoing support from planning through implementation. While rooted in specific communities, the initiatives collectively span Northern BC, with impacts reaching across regions through expanded food production, distribution networks, and partnerships.
Together, these initiatives piloted innovative, adaptable models for food production, distribution, processing, food literacy, and Indigenous food sovereignty, with strong potential for scaling and replication across the province.
Community Food Systems Development in BC:
Accelerating Food Systems Change across Northern BC
Supported by the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction and delivered in partnership with Food Banks BC, this report brings together three years of work across the Rapid Stimulus Grant, the Ideas Lab for Food Systems Transformations, and Large-Scale Innovations, sharing the stories, data, and lessons behind Northern BC’s food systems transformation.
From community gardens and meat processing facilities to regional food distribution networks and Indigenous-led food sovereignty initiatives, it traces how 56 community-led initiatives took shape across the region, what they achieved, and the barriers they navigated along the way.
Drawing on survey data, conversational interviews, and firsthand stories from grantees, the report offers a look at what worked, what shifted along the way, and what still needs to happen to help this transformation take root for the long term. It closes with reflections and priorities to guide the next chapter of this work