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A food shed aimed at providing fresh food to various community services is being developed for the North Okanagan.

The food shed will be a North Okanagan-based warehouse helping to distribute food to people in need throughout the area. The project has received $1 million from the provincial Critical Food Infrastructure Fund (CFIF).

“We know that due to the global inflation and uncertainties, some people in B.C. and in our region are struggling to put good food on the table and to buy daily essentials like groceries; therefore, our government is continuing to take action,” said Harwinder Sandhu, parliamentary secretary for agriculture.

“We are funding critical infrastructure updates that will connect community service agencies with local food suppliers, helping more people access fresh and local food to address this challenge.”

Part of the project will upgrade a cold-storage warehouse in Armstrong which will then collect, process, store and distribute food.

The upgrades aim to help schools, institutions, food banks and non-profit organizations in close regions connect to year-round, local, and affordable food.

According to a press release from the province, the $14-million CFIF was announced in September 2023, and will span three years. It's administered by United Way BC and provides grants for food-infrastructure projects that increase a community’s capacity to offer nutritious and culturally appropriate food to people who need it.

“This unique, centralized distribution will increase sales opportunities for local producers, increasing employment and revenue,” said Liz Blakeway, executive director of Land to Table Network.

“At the same time, it will help meet the growing demand that schools, food banks and non-profits experience for affordable food for the people they serve.”