Whereas food security and food supply issues are essential to all emergency response and recovery efforts; And whereas the status and consideration of food security and supply issues are not adequately addressed within the provincial emergency management system and structures: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request that the Province provide greater consideration of food security and supply, including localized knowledge, within the provincial emergency management structure and provide guidance and resources to local governments and their emergency operations centres for this purpose.
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, Ministry of Health The Province is committed to addressing food security and supply issues for emergency response and ongoing COVID-19 recovery efforts. During the onset of the pandemic, the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General through Emergency Management BC coordinated emerging food supply and food access issues within the provincial emergency management system across government, industry and community stakeholders to understand and respond to issues affecting communities across BC. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries supported these food supply coordination efforts through agriculture and food sector engagement. Extensive community-based work was activated across provincial ministries to address pressures on BC food systems, such as supply chain disruptions in remote and rural communities and demand on emergency food programs to respond to food insecurity and barriers to access for vulnerable populations. For example, a series of rapid action resources web articles to support local government food security planning were produced by the Ministry of Health and BC Healthy Communities Society BCHC. The Province remains committed to ensuring consideration of food security and supply within the emergency management structure and to providing guidance on food security and supply to support communities and local governments across BC. The Ministries of Social Development and Poverty Reduction; Health; Agriculture, Food and Fisheries; and Emergency Management BC are leading continued cross-government coordination on and consideration of food security and supply issues with support from other key ministries including Environment and Climate Change Strategy, Municipal Affairs, Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, Children and Family Development, and Labour.