CFCC’s Market Greens initiative receives funding from Government of Canada

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Author: Josie Di Felice

Posted: July 16, 2020

Categories: Food Access / GoodFoodBites / News from Sustain Members

On July 14, 2020, the Government of Canada announced $1.5 million in funding to support Community Food Centres Canada (CFCC) in expanding their Market Greens initiative to approximately 30 locations across Canada.

The initiative aims to support healthy eating and increase food access among Canadians in low-income neighbourhoods, by establishing and increasing access to low-cost fresh produce markets and offering fruit and vegetable vouchers that can be used at participating local affordable markets.

“Living on a low income can make accessing nutritious foods a challenge,” shares the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health. “Particularly now as our economy recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, we are very pleased to support the growth of initiatives like Market Greens that have shown success in helping to remove financial barriers, ensuring more Canadians have access to fresh fruits and vegetables. This in turn will help improve their health and reduce their risk of chronic disease.”

Kathryn Scharf, Chief Programs Officer at CFCC, shares: “We believe increasing access to fresh, healthy food through non-profit markets and offering subsidized access to healthy food for people living on low incomes at risk for chronic disease makes good sense. Market Greens will show that a simple, low-cost investment upstream in making fresh fruits and vegetables an easy and affordable choice can play a role in preventing illnesses that come at great human and economic cost when treated downstream.”

Read more in the Public Health Agency of Canada’s news release here.