Grow Calgary urban farmers 'slammed by demand' from charities amid economic downturn - Action News
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Grow Calgary urban farmers 'slammed by demand' from charities amid economic downturn

A Calgary non-profit group that grows fresh produce for the food bank and other charities is asking the city and province to help it deal with a massive spike in demand.

Urban farming group asks government to donate 1% of unused land

Economic downturn could be driving Calgary into a food crisis

9 years ago
Duration 3:23
Facing spiking demand for its produce, Grow Calgary is asking the city to donate unused land so it can expand its volunteer-run urban farm operation.

A local agency that grows food for Calgary's less fortunate is asking the city and province to help it deal with a huge spike in demand.

"We are getting slammed by demand and like a lot of social agencies right nowhave never seen the numbers we are experiencing," says Grow Calgary spokesperson Paul Hughes.

Grow Calgary is a volunteer-run urban farm that has provided fresh produce to the Calgary Food Bank for the past three years.

But this year it's been approached by more than a dozen other non-profit agencies looking for help.

"The city and the province need to respond. This is a food access crisis," Hughes said.

Grow Calgary spokesperson Paul Hughes says there is a 'food access crisis' in Calgary. (Evelyne Asselin/CBC)

The organization wants the government to donate one per cent of unused land and the corresponding budgets required to mow it.

"We need to actually drop everything and start providing more land and resources to organizations like ours who are trying to grow food to put into the food access system of which some 45 per cent of the recipients are children," Hughesadded.

Councillor Carra'charmed' by idea

City councillor Gian-Carlo Carracalled it "a really compelling argument," but said there are a ton of practical and "annoying"challenges surrounding its implementation.

Because the city is responsible for weed control under provincial law, it has "an entire armature"of mowing equipment that would be difficult to transition,Carrasaid.

Kinkine Munzemba (right) and Laurel Homes volunteer at Grow Calgary. (Evelyne Asselin/CBC)

"If we were to just let these things go wild, we'd have weeds exploding, and then the taxpayer would be footing the bills for fines paid to the provincial government."

He also said the city's legal department is worriedabout liability issues that could arise from growingedible plants on city-owned land, in case someone were to get sick.

"Those things make my blood boil," he said.

But Carra said council has in general been very supportive of urban food policy, and he welcomesthe conversation.

Grow Calgary is a volunteer-run urban farm that provides fresh produce to the Calgary Food Bank. (Evelyne Asselin/CBC)