The Victoria Urban Food Table

The Victoria Urban Food Table (UFT) is a volunteer advisory committee dedicated to providing informed support to Victoria City Council in matters related to food security policy and decision making. Our members are food systems and sustainability professionals and include urban and rural farmers, local businesses, educators, community association and garden representatives, health workers, dietitians, and environmental stewardship not-for-profit staff. We view local food production as fundamental to a healthy and sustainable food system, and share the common goal of a food secure region.

Our strategic goals focus on urban farming, community and home gardening, food equity, soil restoration, land and biodiversity stewardship, waste-reduction and composting, pollinator support, First Nations Reconciliation, and celebrating local food. .

 The City of Victoria is updating their current Official Community Plan!! You can help shape our city for the better… head over to our OCP page to learn more.

Ready to provide feedback? Participate in our click-to-email campaign to let Mayor and Council know that food systems are important to you!

What Does the UFT Do?

By bringing together organizations and individuals working in the many different areas of food systems, we are able to share information, align our efforts, and catalyze the ongoing development of supportive food security targets, policies, and programs in the City of Victoria.

Members take into consideration policy, strategic plans, budget, timelines, city processes, and our diverse areas of expertise to make informed suggestions to Council. Our primary purpose is to help guide the City of Victoria’s strategic direction related to food policies and actions within city boundaries as well as support initiatives within the Capital Region District.

Click to learn more about our projects and action plans.

How Did the UFT Come To Be?

The idea of the Victoria Urban Food Table came about in early 2015 when a group of individuals working in local food systems decided to collaborate to help inform and support city council’s decisions around food policy on city land.

The Victoria Urban Food Table would like to respectfully acknowledge the Lək̓ʷəŋən People, known today as the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations, and their land on which the City of Victoria is located. While we look to strengthen urban food systems it is important to acknowledge that these systems have displaced Indigenous people and their stewardship of this land.