North Shore

TABLE MATTERS

Network

Our History

The North Shore Table Matters Network has been building relationships between local governments and community groups with interests in food security, urban agriculture, and local food systems since 2005. 

Click the button for an graphic of our history from 2005 to 2015 and scroll through the details our our work by year below. 

Our Achievements

Advocacy and policy support – As part of our Infusing Food approach, Table Matters continues to solicit feedback from the Network and submit comments on municipal, regional, and community strategies. So far this year we have participated in the following:

  • North Shore Poverty Reduction Strategy
  • City of North Vancouver Mobility Strategy
  • North Vancouver School District 44 Budget
  • City of North Vancouver Shipyards Strategy

North Shore Food Providers Network – Table Matters continues to support and coordinate regular meetings with this group.  This Network is continually growing and currently includes representation from 23 organizations and includes 35 contacts.

Community Awareness – Continues to expand reach. Over the past year, have engaged with 30+ organizations in varying capacities. Regularly participating in regional and national networks including the BC Food Security Gateway Community of Practice and the Food Communities Network. 

Advocacy and policy support – As part of our Infusing Food approach, Table Matters solicited feedback from the Network and submitted comments on 6 municipal and regional strategies including:

  • City of North Vancouver Community Wellbeing Strategy
  • Metro Vancouver Regional Growth Strategy: Metro 2050
  • District of North Vancouver Official Community Plan Review
  • City of North Vancouver Climate and Environment Strategy
  • North Shore Homelessness Community Action Strategy
  • City of North Vancouver Waterfront Transportation Network Study

Emergency Food Providers Network – During COVID the City of North Vancouver convened the various North Shore Food Providers every couple of months to share resources, brainstorm solutions collectively, and celebrate successes. In June, Table Matters took over the coordination of these meetings and the group was renamed the North Shore Food Providers Network. This group is continually growing and now includes representation from 23 organizations and includes 35 contacts.

Neighborhood Food Collaborative – A project that promotes sustainable food access and food literacy among children on the North Shore did the following:

  • In collaboration with Capilano Community Services Society, completed the Neighbourhood Food Ambassadors Program.
  • Hosted a Learning Circle with teachers, parents, and other community members in the Carson Graham Family of Schools.
  • Provided funding and support for Norgate Xwemélch’stn Community Elementary Indigenous Foodscapes Garden.

Community Awareness – Revamped and relaunched the monthly newsletter, launched a LinkedIn page, and increased social media presence. 

Table Matters hires a new Network Coordinator and brings together the Charter signatories and others in the community with an interest in community food security to look at what we have accomplished, food issues on the North Shore, and begins a Strategic Planning Process. 

By the Spring of 2020, three strategic priorities had been established:

  • Infusing food into community dialogue, policy, and life on the North Shore.
  • Neigbourhood Food Collaborative
  • Food Waste and Recovery

Table Matters Fall 2017 Gathering – Seed, Soil, and Sovereignty:  Celebrating Diversity with Food

Table Matters hits the refresh button – a new logo and branding is launched, terms of reference are developed, the website is updated, the search for a Network coordinator is on, and membership tops out at 500!

Let’s Talk Food Policy – A Regional Gathering – Table Matters co-hosts a networking event for food policy leaders from across the region and sparks a new project to develop resources for municipal policy tools.

The Foodprint Challenge – 36 Residents enjoy auditing their food waste and learning how to rescue food at home.

Annual Fall Forum, An Evening of Dialogue and Dinner: What’s Growing on the North Shore – leaders present new ideas to improve community capacity projects across the North Shore and participants leave inspired and excited to get involved.

The North Shore Community Food Charter is endorsed by the City of North Vancouver, the District of North Vancouver, the District of West Vancouver, North Vancouver School District 44, West Vancouver School District 45, the Village of Lions Bay, Bowen Island Municipality, Squamish Nation, Tsleil-Waututh Nation, and Vancouver Coastal Health.

Annual Fall Forum, An Evening of Dialogue and Dinner: Let’s Talk Food Rescue – Table Matters engages over 120 attendees in an awareness-building event to celebrate its first funded project: Scaling Up Food Rescue.

Implementing the North Shore Community Food Charter – Table Matters and the Edible Garden Project work with municipal staff to lay the groundwork for policy changes that implement the Food Charter.

Annual Fall Forum, An Evening of Dialogue and Dinner – Over 150 community members enjoy dinner to celebrate and endorse the final draft of the North Shore Community Food Charter.

The North Shore Community Food Charter is presented to Congress – The North Shore Congress supports the Food Charter and directs Table Matters to approach each Council for official endorsements.

The Table Matters Reference Group identifies the need for a foundation policy to build upon and provides consistency across all the North Shore municipalities – a food charter is a next step.

Annual Fall Forum, An Evening of Dialogue and Dinner – Over 150 community members share dinner and facilitated dialogue to collect input needed to draft a Food Charter.

Table Matters sends delegations to Municipal Councils with an outline of the North Shore Community Food Charter – feedback is incorporated into the document.

Spring Forum – a draft of the North Shore Community Food Charter is presented to the community for feedback.

Annual Fall Forum, An Evening of Dialogue and Dinner: Urban Agriculture and Sustainable Food Systems –  Local elected officials and First Nations representatives participate in a panel discussion, community leaders share their ideas and all event participants brainstorm to find solutions.

The Table Matters Reference Group submits suggestions to the District of North Vancouver Official Community Plan after which urban agriculture is integrated into a number of points within the updated Plan – a big success!

Annual Fall Forum, Agricultural Urbanism: Great Food System Opportunities for the North Shore – The first of 5 events where all 5 North Shore Mayors share their visions for moving urban agriculture and food security forward.

District of North Vancouver’s OCP includes food – Following a survey of 400 residents – along with Network advocacy – the District of North Vancouver’s Official Community Plan is updated with specific wording related to urban agriculture, food security, and food policy developments.

Table Matters Networking Conference – Table Matters Reference Group, made up of 20 community members, begins to meet monthly and pursue food security initiatives identified as priority strategies.

Advancing Urban Agriculture Grants are awarded to 13 food security projects across North Shore neighbourhoods to grow gardens, skills and networks for all ages. These grants become an annual opportunity for like-minded projects.

Feeding the Future Forum with Michael Ableman – an urban agriculture pioneer leads an educational evening and inspires action to improve food security on the North Shore.

The First Annual Fall Forum, Table Matters: A Community Discussion about Food Security on the North Shore. This first event encourages North Shore governments, residents, and businesses to focus on local food security issues and to come up with possible solutions.

Vancouver Coastal Health Food Security Program allocates funding toward building a food security network and the North Shore Food Action Committee officially adopts the “Table Matters” moniker – membership grows to include municipal staff as well as community members.

Community interest in developing knowledge and capacity to improve local food systems grows while Vancouver Coastal Health focuses on providing all residents access to adequate, safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate foods that are produced in environmentally sustainable ways and are offered in a dignified manner

The North Shore Food Action Committee emerges in response to CFAI – following SPARC’s North Shore food security scan, a plan is drawn up.

The Edible Garden Project breaks ground thanks to a coalition of North Shore organizations funded by  UBCM and Vancouver Coastal Health’s CFAI. 

Food Security Core Programs Evidence Review and Food Security Model Core Program Paper support the inclusion of food security into health authority prevention measures, including Vancouver Coastal Health.

The Community Food Action Initiative (CFAI), the first provincial health promotion initiative in Canada to recognize and financially support community-led food security activities, becomes part of the Healthy Eating component in ActNow BC and the North Shore Table Matters Network is set.

Table Matters works to advance the North Shore Community Food Charter through...

Knowledge &
information sharing

Networking, collaboration,
& partnership development

Advocacy & supporting

policy development