A new facility aimed at improving food access and resilience in the East Kootenay region is moving forward with the creation of the Cranbrook Food Innovation Centre.
The project, led by the Community Connections Society of Southeast BC (CCSSEBC), has received a $1 million grant through United Way British Columbia and the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction.
The Centre will serve as a space for food recovery, storage, processing, and commercial kitchen use.
It will help support nonprofit organizations, social service providers, and small food businesses across the region.
“Cranbrook is a perfect location because there’s a real need for food programs and strong collaboration already in place,” said Alžběta Sabová, Director of Food Security at United Way BC.
The funding will be used to retrofit the facility, install commercial-grade kitchen equipment, and create cold storage areas.
These upgrades aim to increase the capacity for meal programs, food banks, and local food entrepreneurs to access, process, and distribute nutritious food more efficiently.
The initiative is part of the Critical Food Infrastructure Fund, a $14 million province-wide effort to create long-term food security infrastructure in B.C.
The Cranbrook Food Innovation Centre is expected to begin operations later in 2025.
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