30 April 2025 
In this issue, learn how you can support community, food, and sustainability at a local level.
Supporting Community & Local Food
Has supporting local or Canadian been on your mind lately? Whether you’ve been doing this a while or are new to it, there was many ways to do so.
Local Food
- Start small: buy what’s in season and look for labelling or stickers that indicate where something was produced or grown.
- Support BC farms at your local farmers’ market.
- Consider a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share (or a Community Supported Fishery like Skipper Otto!). The share purchase goes directly to the people who grow your food, and you get regular supplies of produce for the duration of a CSA’s season.
For Gardeners and Green Thumbs
Love gardening? Consider Canadian seed companies — or even locally grown seed. It’s not uncommon for seed companies to import their seeds from around the world. This allows them to offer a larger selection, but the plants grown from the seeds may not thrive in our BC climate.
BC Eco Seed Co-op is one of the few seed companies in BC that offers only locally grown seed, grown by member farms, along with open transparency on where the seed comes from. Local seed is often harvested and grown over successive years, and the goal is to have varieties that perform reliably in BC.
“As our climate continues to shift,” says Loki Wallace, operations coordinator, “we need to ensure that the seeds we grow will be productive.”
“Whether you live in a temperate rainforest (South Coast), or a region with short summers (Interior and North), you’re likely also facing drought, wildfires, floods, and other environmental issues that impact your ability to grow.”
The number of new gardeners seems to keep growing. With that has come changes for local seed companies. For BC Eco Seed Co-op, this has contributed to greater demand for their seeds and some growing pains.
“Many more people are gardening with the goal of growing their own food and are paying attention to where their seeds come from,” says Wallace. “People are also ordering and buying their seeds much earlier than they used to, [ensuring] that they get their seeds while they’re still available.”
- Find BC Eco Seed Co-op packets online or at various stockists across BC.
- Looking for BC seed companies or specific seeds? Visit Seeds of Diversity’s Seed Finder and filter the Region by “BC”.
- Community events like Seedy Saturdays can be an accessible way to find seeds, often for low-cost or even free. Visit the Seeds of Diversity or Farm Folk City Folk website for a calendar of Seedy Saturdays – maybe you’ll find one in your area!
- Check out your local seed library! It’s a good way to connect with your community, share excess or saved seeds, and discover new varieties.
Other Ways to Take Action
- Join a citizen science or citizen-led initiative like Farm Folk City Folk’s Citizen Seed Trial or the David Suzuki Foundation’s Butterflyway Project.
- Support local organizations, neighbourhood food networks, and community projects with a focus on food security or food justice.
- Visit or contribute to community-centred resources like seed libraries.
Vancouver Zero Waste Ambassador Program
Interested in reducing waste and improving recycling at your co-op? The City of Vancouver’s Zero Waste Ambassador Program trains volunteers to engage fellow residents in multi-family buildings in initiatives to reduce waste.
The next training session is coming up on Saturday, June 14, so learn more and apply now to become a Zero Waste Ambassador.
Vancouver Island Impact Grant
Does your co-op have an idea for a project that focuses on sustainable, inclusive co-op living? Vancouver Island co-ops can apply for grants of up to $5,000 to bring their projects to life!
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis while funds last. Find out more about the Community Impact Grant and apply here.
Energy Benchmarking
Exploring ways to create a more sustainable future for your co-op? Whether your co-op is brainstorming ideas or pursuing an energy retrofit program, understanding your current energy use is the first step. Learn more about energy benchmarking with CHF BC.
Co-ops that are Vancity members may also be eligible for an incentive of up to $500. Eligible co-ops that submit required paperwork and documentation to complete benchmarking setup by July 16, 2025 can receive their incentive payment this summer.