Cowichan Green Community, together with Cowichan Valley Co-operative Marketplace, is set to receive a $200,000 Supply Chain Resiliency grant as part of the province’s $1.5-billion StrongerBC economic recovery plan.
The grant is one of 24 being offered by the recovery plan and will help the Cowichan partners “enable the adoption of process improvement and efficiencies strategies to improve service delivery for Cowichan Green Community Society members to better support environmental sustainability and resiliency in their local food production and processing,” according to the Ministry of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation.
What that means, according to CGC executive director Judy Stafford, is help for farmers and with the Cowichan Online Farmer’s Market program.
“Cowichan Green Community is very grateful to have received the Supply Chain Resiliency Grant funding. Together with our partnering organization, the Cowichan Valley Co-operative Marketplace, we will be increasing the efficiency of the Cowichan Online Farmer’s Market program: cow-op.ca,” Stafford explained. “This market has been operating since 2015, supporting Cowichan farmers and producers and with this funding we will be introducing technological solutions and increasing processing efficiencies which will, in turn, provide increased distribution channels for our membership.”
In other words, a smoother process from start to finish.
Nanaimo-North Cowichan MLA Doug Routley is pleased the money came through for both Stafford’s group and others.
“Organizations across B.C., including right here in the Cowichan Valley, demonstrate an incredible commitment to creating long-term food security in an environmentally sustainable way,” he said. “This funding will allow them to continue to strengthen our local food supply chain. The pandemic has repeatedly shown us that B.C. organizations are up to the task of using creative ways to ensure British Columbians have what they need, and I’m proud our government is supporting this work in the valley.”
sarah.simpson@cowichanvalleycitizen.com
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