Project Timeline
November 2022 – March 2024
Funding From
BC Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food
Project Summary
Equitable food security in the North is predicated on strengthening connections between food providers and local growers. In the post-secondary context, this means capitalizing on the potential to connect on-campus cafeteria operations with local growers and farmers, in the interest of student health and community resiliency.
This project is being carried out by students, for students. With oversight from CNC Education developer Corrine Michel, a group of UNBC and CNC students led by Christine Callihoo will gather feedback from students, cafeteria staff, and local growers to identify opportunities for enhancing connections between on-campus food provision and locally grown food. Data collection will include both surveys and interviews with research participants.
Preliminary survey results indicate that cost is a significant impediment to accessing locally grown produce. The research suggests that on-campus greenhouses are key assets for promoting student learning and supplementing locally-grown food supply for on-campus food provision.
Research Team
Corrine Michel, CNC Education Developer, MA – Research Co-lead
Corrine brings over 30 years of experience as an educator in both K-12 and post-secondary environments. Currently, Corrine plans and coordinates work-integrated learning (WIL) initiatives at CNC, recognizing that applied research projects are a rich WIL opportunity for CNC students and local partners.
Christine Callihoo, M.Sc, RPP – Research Co-lead
Christine brings diverse experience in land-use planning, natural asset management, technical writing, and project management, with a focus on food security and community resiliency. Currently, Christine is a Ph.D candidate in the Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Program at UNBC.
Sarah Korn, BA – Research Assistant
Sarah is a recent graduate of the B.A. Environmental and Sustainability Studies at UNBC. Her interests in environmental policy drew her to the project.
Sharon Martinada, B.Sc - Research Assistant
Sharon is a student in CNC’s business management program. She was attracted to the research assistant role by a desire to broaden the scope of her studies.
Saeedeh Goodarzvand, M.Eng - Research Assistant
Since moving to Prince George to pursue a Master of Computer Science degree, Saeedeh has developed an appreciation for locally sourced food. She views this project as an opportunity to learn more about developing local food security.
Dr. Paula Hayden and Dr. Annie Booth, from CNC and UNBC, respectively, will provide consultation to the research team.
Partners
