Garibaldi Estates Emerging Ideas: Regional Farm Hub

The District is exploring ‘Emerging Ideas’ as themes to consider as policies are developed for the Garibaldi Estates Neighbourhood Plan. Emerging ideas reflect public input received earlier in this planning process, as well as existing District policies (i.e. Official Community Plan). This page focuses on a regional farm hub in the neighbourhood.

Summary

  • The Squamish Food Policy Council made recommendations to advance a holistic sustainable food system in our community.
  • The report recommends a regional farm hub be established within the Garibaldi Estates.
  • The regional farm hub should incorporate a commissary kitchen and market.

Squamish Climate Action Network Food Policy Council Report

Emerging Idea: Incentivize the creation of a regional farm hub/commissary kitchen/market in the Garibaldi Estates using tools such as a density bonus or community amenity contributions.

In April 2022, the Squamish Climate Action Network Food Policy Council completed a report to inform the Garibaldi Estates Neighbourhood Planning Process. The report provided an overview of what small-scale farming could look like in the Garibaldi Estates, and included policy recommendations to advance a holistic sustainable food system that would support the following outcomes:

  • Ensure all members of our community have access to nutritious, safe, ecologically sustainable and culturally appropriate food at all times.
  • Ensure that viable agricultural lands are protected, and producers, processors, growers, foragers, and knowledge holders are supported
  • Support indicators that impact our food system, including: food self-reliance, ecological footprint, greenhouse gas emissions, carbon stocks, wildlife habitat capacity, habitat connectivity, nutrient surplus, food production, food imports, total employment, total output, total gross domestic product, total employment income and total tax revenue.

Squamish Food Policy Council Recommendation:

The Climate Action Food Policy Council report recommends that a regional farm be established within the Garibaldi Estates.

  • The Farm Hub should incorporate a commissary kitchen and market .
  • The Farm Hub would support farmers to conduct on-going and year-round sales to compliment farmers existing operations (CSA, farmers market, relationships with restaurants).
  • The Farm Hub would be best located in a mixed-use area where commercial and community uses can thrive. Locating the hub in or around the Garibaldi Village would be desirable.
  • The Squamish Food Policy Council surveyed residents, farmers and food purchasers about interest in a regional farm hub
    1. 73% of respondents are supportive
    2. Respondents identified the following priority changes for the regional food system:
      • Decreasing reliance on imported products
      • Strengthening the direct relationship between producer and consumer
      • Improving the convenience of sourcing local fresh
  • The regional farm hub concept is inspired by the South Island Farm Hub in Victoria, BC. https://www.sifarmhub.ca/