Food Security in New Westminster
If you are looking for emergency food resources such as free community meals or grocery programs, please visit the City of New Westminster website.
When the New Westminster Community Poverty Reduction Strategy was being developed back in 2016, community food insecurity was identified as a priority. In the Five-year action plan, strategies were proposed to address identified food security issues, specifically the development of the first Food Security Action Plan. Funding was secured by City staff from the Vancouver Foundation to convene local service providers. Two Food Summits were held, and they informed the development of the New Westminster Food Security Action Plan (FSAP). However, Council only received it for information, so representatives from the New Westminster Homelessness Coalition Society and New Westminster Community Food Action advocated for funding to support its implementation. The New Westminster Homelessness Coalition Society, Fraser Health and the City supported its implementation along with a lived experience working group, the Community Voices. For more information, view the FSAP implementation overview report.
Some FSAP Resources of note that were developed to inspire change include:
- The Everybody Needs to Eat Food Security MythBusters series to dispel common myths about food insecurity and increase awareness of the real cause of food insecurity, inadequate income.
- The Everybody Needs to Eat: No money, No food community food security fact sheet that provides an overview of community food security issues while stressing the connection between lack of income and food insecurity and the ways community members can make a difference.
- A Food Security and Income Glossary developed at the request of the Community Voices FSAP Working Group (Cohort 1).
- So, you want to start a food program… step by step guide to food or meal programs in the City for organizations and community members who want to establish, change, or expand a community food program. This has been informed by the City, Fraser Health, non profit food providers and the Community Voices.
When the new City of New Westminster Homelessness Action Strategy was developed, food security was once again identified as an issue, and the development of a new Food Security Action Plan was prioritized. In December 2025, City Council approved the New Westminster Food Security and Systems Plan, and implementation work has just started.