Salmon Arm will play a role in the B.C. government’s efforts to establish a provincial food hub network.
On June 3, Lana Popham, B.C.’s Minister of Agriculture, announced five communities have studies completed or underway to determine the needs for future food and innovation hubs throughout the province.
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“I am so excited that we have reached this important stage in the development of the B.C. Food Hub Network,” said Popham. “As part of my agriculture tours of the province, I have witnessed some of the technological innovation that is happening right now in our B.C. food processing sector, and I want to build on this momentum. By creating a dedicated food hub space in regions throughout the province, the sector will be able to continue their growth and increase the value of B.C. processed products.”
Salmon Arm received $35,000 from the province to conduct a feasibility study for a food innovation centre. The Shuswap Economic Development Society is holding meetings to determine what is most needed in the community.
More than $176,000 of funding was dedicated to the feasibility studies across the province. In addition to Salmon Arm, opportunities for regional food processing and innovation hubs were identified in Quesnel, Deep Bay, Summerland and the Columbia Basin Region. The studies are intended to engage producers and processors to identify their unique regional needs with respect to a food processing.
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The completion and continued development of these studies support the next steps in advancing the regional food processing and innovation hubs that will create the greater B.C. Food Hub Network. The goal is to enhance sustainable growth and innovation in the processing, packaging and marketing of B.C. food and beverage products, and to showcase them to British Columbians and international markets.
The B.C. Food Hub Network is part of the ministry’s Feed BC mandate, intended to encourage food and beverage processing in British Columbia.
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