A Portrait Of Food Security in Verdun
Fall 2017 Concertation en développement social de Verdun 3972 rue Verdun H4G 1K9, Montréal 514-769-2228 extension 104
Translated to English by CCS Montreal
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We offer our sincere thanks to all the individuals and organizations who contributed to this document. This overview of food security was conducted within the framework of the Collective Impact Project of the Centraide of Greater Montreal.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 4
Food Access: A Neighborhood Priority .............................................................................................................................. 5
Methodology: A Consultative Process .............................................................................................................................. 6
Objective and Structure of the Overview ......................................................................................................................... 7
VERDUN: A RAPIDLY CHANGING NEIGHBORHOOD ............................................................... 8
Verdun at a glance ............................................................................................................................................................. 9
A gentrifying neighborhood ............................................................................................................................................ 11
THE MAIN OBSTACLES IN ACCESSING FOOD FOR VERDUN RESIDENTS ............................... 13
Economic Access to Food ................................................................................................................................................. 14
Access to Food Assistance ............................................................................................................................................... 17
Physical Access to Food ................................................................................................................................................... 21
Lack of Awareness of Community Food Resources and Services in Verdun .................................................................. 25
Lack of Knowledge Vis-à-vis Food and Dietary Needs .................................................................................................... 27
Special Cases .................................................................................................................................................................... 30
THE MAIN OBSTACLES FACED BY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ....................................... 32
Lack of Human and Financial Resources ......................................................................................................................... 33
Consultation Between Organizations: A Work in Progress ............................................................................................ 35
Local Food Supply ............................................................................................................................................................ 39
SUMMARY AND WAY FORWARD ......................................................................................... 41
ANNEX 1 ............................................................................................................................... 41
BIBLIOGRAPHY ..................................................................................................................... 44
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INTRODUCTION This document presents a portrait of the state of food security in Verdun. More specifically, it examines the different facets of food security (food assistance, urban agriculture, community educational activities, etc.) and the obstacles faced by many in accessing food. The examination was carried out throughout 2017 and is primarily based on information gathered during meetings with community organizations and citizen focus groups. This protrait serves as a tool, providing the community with an overall understanding of food security in Verdun and facilitating community response to the challenges faced by individual citizens and organizations. While numerous food security initiatives exist in Verdun, a common vision and set of strategies must be adopted to tackle the issues pertaining to food access. The Verdun community will undoubtedly respond effectively to this challenge. We hope that this overview facilitates our understanding of food security in Verdun and helps us take concrete
actions and practical measures.
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Food Access: A Neighborhood Priority In February 2016, after two years of collective brainstorming and dialogues, the Concertation en développement social de Verdun (CDSV) adopted the Verdun Social Development Plan 2016-2020.
The Verdun Social Development Plan outlines the actions and strategies needed to improve the living conditions of
Verdun’s inhabitants and to combat poverty. It focuses particularly on the most vulnerable residents.
The plan identifies three priorities for action:
1. Access to housing 2. Access to food 3. Education and schooling
One of the Verdun Social Development Plan’s objective is to provide an overview of food access in the neighborhood.
A Roof And A Table For All
This overview of food security is part of the Collective Impact Project (CIP) of Centraide. The CIP aims to support
concrete projects which result in measureable and significant poverty reduction in different neighborhoods of
Montreal.1
A Roof and A Table For All, a project being carried out in Verdun, aims to provide the most vulnerable populations
with access to resources and basic services, notably those concerning food access. A way of attaining this goal is to
establish a comprehensive strategy ensuring that the food supply in Verdun responds to the various needs of the
population.
This overview is therefore a first step. It examines a variety of issues linked to food access and promotes a collective approach to the current state of food security in Verdun.
1 For more information on the CIP, please visit : http://pic.centraide.org/
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Methodology: A Consultative Process This overview was conducted in 2017 and is based on information and data gathered during consultations with
various actors working in food security and during focus group meetings with Verdun residents, backed by local
resources. A literature research focusing on quantitative data also helped to inform the previously collected
information.
1- Group Meetings with Local Participants
In 2016, a study committee was formed and was facilitated by the CDSV. This committee consisted of Casa-CAFI, la
Coopérative abondance urbaine solidaire, Grand Potager, la Mission unie du sud-ouest, Un plant de tomates à la fois,
the Borough of Verdun, le CIUSSS du Centre-sud-de-l’île-de-Montréal, an individual citizen, and the CDSV. Its primary
objective was to outline a consultative process for food security actors in Verdun. These consultations would be held
to discuss the state of food security in Verdun and to identify priorities for action.
A first meeting attended by 44 local participants was held on December 12, 2016, to identify the main issues related to food access. A second meeting with 29 participants took place on February 22, 2017, in which the previously discussed findings were further examined and new courses for action identified.
2- Citizen Focus Groups Seven focus groups were held between June and August 2017 with individuals who received food security services from community organizations. Focus groups:
- Réseau d’entraide de Verdun: five participants - Réseau bénévole de Verdun: five participants - Un Plant de tomates à la fois (2 groups): 16 participants - Société Saint-Vincent-de-Paul: three participants - Casa-CAFI: 25 participants - Mission Unie du Sud-Ouest: seven participants
The goal of these focus groups was to better understand the challenges faced by these individuals and to exchange ideas as to how to alleviate food insecurity. Overall, 62 participants took part in these meetings.
Collective meeting, February 22, 2017
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3- Literature Search
The overview is also based on a data search, particularly statistics, and on the inventory of existing resources in the neighborhood. It was also enhanced by the research project Justice and Food Sustainability, conducted under a partnership between Concordia University, Dawson College and the Alternatives organization.2
Objective and Structure of the Overview Objective:
The overview is intended as a decision support tool. It will serve as a basis for the deliberations, insights, and ideas of organizations and individuals working in food security. This will help the community implement comprehensive strategies for food access which respond to the challenges experienced by the inhabitants of Verdun and concerned community organizations.
Structure:
Since this document is primarily a decision support tool for local actors, it is best to begin with the problems and
needs of Verdun’s population. With this in mind, we have decided to tackle issues pertaining to food access by
examining the obstacles faced by some local residents.
This overview consists of three parts. The first part provides a look at Verdun and the numerous transformations the
neighborhood has undergone in the past years, many of which have had an impact on the access to food by the
indigent and underserved populations. The second part addresses the barriers to food access faced by residents in
Verdun. Finally, the third part examines the obstacles faced by local organizations in their efforts to serve the
community.
2Justice and Food Sustainability – research project in Verdun – Concordia University, Dawson College and Alternatives – October 2017.
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VERDUN: A RAPIDLY CHANGING NEIGHBORHOOD
Verdun at a Glance
A Gentrifying Neighborhood
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VERDUN AT A GLANCE3 Located in the southwestern part of the island of Montreal, Verdun covers an area of 9.8 km. The borough is bordered by Highway 15 to the north, the Aqueduct Canal to the west, and the St. Lawrence River to the east. These natural demarcations and road infrastructures make Verdun a relatively isolated borough. South of Verdun is the borough of LaSalle.
3 Statistical Picture of the Population of the Verdun Territory - CDSV-2014 based on: Statistics Canada - 2006 Census, 2011 Census and 2011 National Household Survey.
Verdun Statistics
- 66,160 residents - The age distribution of the population is slightly different from Montreal’s
average, with:
- 8,910 young residents under 15 (13.5% of the neighborhood’s population) - 47,170 residents between the ages of 15 and 64 (71.3% of the neighborhood’s population
- 10,085 residents over 65 years of age and over (15.2% of the neighborhood’s population
- The population has been ageing slower than that of Quebec’s (between 2006 and 2011, the
population age 65 and over increased by only 3.4% in Verdun compared with 16.4% in all of
Quebec).
- 17,115 families, including 9,435 with children.
- 13,670 residents live alone. (21.1% of the population)
- Immigrants represent 22.5% of the total population.
- 63.6 % of dwellings are occupied by tenants.
- 3,145 residents are unemployed.
- The average pre-tax income is $ 44,062, well above the Montréal average
($33,859) However, there are significant differences between different neighborhoods:
- Wellington-de-l’Église : $27,968
- Desmarchais-Crawford : $34,537
- Nun’s Island : $79 745
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Three Neighborhoods, Three Different Dynamics
The Borough of Verdun is divided into three neighborhoods, with very distinct realities.
As it would be expected, these general characteristics and trends are more nuanced. Subgroups and specific geographic areas exist within these three neighborhoods. For example, people of lower socioeconomic status do live on Nun’s Island, particularly among the elderly and immigrant populations.
Nuns’ Island neighborhood
- Out-of-the-way neighborhood located on an island;
- Independent neighborhood; - Socioeconomic characteristics that stand out
from the rest of Verdun: it consists of predominantly home owners (59.1%), average income very high ($79,745 in 2010), very high level of education (65.7% aged 15 and over have a university degree).
Wellington-de-l’Église neighborhood
- Verdun’s most populous neighborhood (27,915 inhabitants);
- Central neighborhood very well served by public transportation;
- Crossed by Wellington Street, the primary business corridor;
- She most socially disadvantaged neighborhood: more tenants (75.4%), more people living alone (23.6% vs. 21.1% in for all of Verdun), a much lower average income compared to the Verdun average ($ 27,968 against $ 44,062 for Verdun);
- 46.3 % of households with children are single parent homes.
Desmarchais-Crawford neighborhood
- "Intermediary" neighborhood socioeconomically
similar to the rest of Montreal;
- Very low proportion of immigrants (9.9% versus
22.5% in Verdun) and a high proportion English
speakers (24.6% of residents);
- Less well served by public transit and by local
businesses.
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A GENTRIFYING NEIGHBORHOOD Verdun is considered by many to be a gentrifying neighborhood. Indeed, many changes have taken place, whether at the urban level or in the neighborhood’s social fabric. The image of Verdun has profoundly evolved. It has become a very attractive neighborhood, offering an increasingly sought-after way of life. Many affluent households have settled there, contributing to the social transformation of the neighborhood.
While certain aspects of gentrification may be positive, it may also have extremely negative impacts, particularly on the poorest and most vulnerable populations:
- More and more people are struggling to find housing that responds to their needs and financial means:
rents have sharply increased (between 2011 and 2014, the average rent increased by 42.3%) with very few
social housing units being built (156 units between 2005 and 2013).4
- An increasingly difficult access to local businesses. Businesses located on Wellington Street, the neighborhood’s primary business corridor, target more affluent customers: in recent years, the Wellington Promenade has experienced considerable growth, which has notably resulted in the arrival of new high-end or trendy businesses (niche boutiques, cafes, etc.) (See page 15)
- The loss of some services, especially in schools. Due to the sociodemographic shifts in the area, most Verdun
schools saw their rankings improve 5. Some have therefore received less funding, resulting in the loss of given
services (such as free snacks for students in some schools).
- The social impact. Gentrification is detrimental to the low-income and
indigent populations. Due to the reasons listed above, many
households in Verdun have difficulty meeting their basic needs and
have to leave the neighborhood to settle in a more affordable area.
4 Borough of Verdun- Local Action Plan to Improve the Access to Affordable Housing - 2016 5 School rankings are based on a deprivation index.
Between 2006 and 2011, the
average pre-tax income
increased by 21.6% in the
Wellington-de-l’Église
neighborhood, historically the
poorest neighborhood in
Verdun.
Gentrification is an urban phenomenon characterized by the arrival of wealthier people in an area initially occupied by poorer populations, and the subsequent appropriation of that area. This results in the neighborhood having a transformed socioeconomic make-up in a way that benefits the higher-income social stratum.
What is gentrification?
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However, Verdun’s social transformation has not eliminated the harsh reality of poverty. For example, in 2011, nearly one in four inhabitants of Verdun (24.7%) was low income 6, which represents 15,970 people. While the majority of low-income population live in the Wellington/l’Eglise neighborhood (8,900 individuals), pockets of poverty also exist on Nun's Island (3,345 individuals) and in Desmarchais/Crawford (3,725 individuals).
6 The source for this section is the Statistical Overview of the Verdun’s Population (CDSV, 2014) based on Statistics Canada 2006 and 2011 census and the 2011
National Household Survey.
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THE MAIN OBSTACLES IN ACCESSING FOOD
FOR VERDUN RESIDENTS
Economic Access to Food
Access to Food Assistance
Physical Access to Food
Lack of Awareness of to Available Resources and
Services
Lack of Nutritional knowledge and Awareness
Special Cases
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Economic Access to Food Key Finding: The main barrier in accessing food remains economic: poverty is the main cause of food insecurity in Canada. The link between poverty and food insecurity is simple: less money means less food and lower quality food. Many households in Verdun do not earn enough income to feed themselves properly. The situation remains all the more concerning as the neighborhood is currently experiencing gentrification, which causes an increase in the costs of basic needs, including housing and food. (See page 16)
Soaring Prices The cost of basic necessities, such as housing, electricity, transportation and certain public services have increased in the past several years. In 2016, the Consumer Price Index increased by 0.7%7. The cost of foodstuffs has also risen sharply during the same period.
- The price of bread, eggs, fruits and vegetables, meat and fish has increased between 4% and 6%
- The price of dairy products and cereals has increased by 2%.8 According to a study conducted by the City of Montreal, Verdun households spent an average of $ 8,020 on food in 2016, which amounts to approximately $154 a week.9
7 Consumer Price Index – Statistics Canada - 2017. 8 Consumer Price Index– Statistics Canada - 2017. 9 Economic Profile – City of Montreal, Borough of Verdun - 2014.
Increasingly difficult access to food
Impact of higher rents on
consumers’ shopping carts
Soaring Food Prices
Rise of new Verdun businesses
targeting the wealthy
- In 2011, 30.8% of tenant
households (6,400)
struggled to pay the rent
- 15,970 residents in Verdun
are low-income
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The Impact of Higher Rents on Food Access
Rents in Verdun have increased sharply in the past several years, with average rents increasing by 42.3% between 2011 and 2014.10 The increased share of household budgets set aside for paying rent will unavoidably reduce spending on other basic needs, primarily food.
New Businesses Targeting Wealthier Populations
Many new businesses have opened in Verdun in the last 10 years, especially on Wellington Street. These include a large number of niche boutiques, bakeries, cafes and trendy restaurants. The commercial range of the Wellington Promenade has therefore profoundly evolved, which hampers access to affordable food for lower-income households. While there are no specific studies on this subject, it is clear that the Wellington Promenade is now targeting a wealthier clientele. In 2011, a study conducted by the Societe de Development Commerical de la Rue Wellington established the following objectives: - Attract a new young, professional and well-off clientele - Open businesses that meet the demands and expectations of these new
customers
For many residents of Verdun, especially the poor, it is increasingly difficult to find affordable food in grocery stores and neighborhood businesses. This situation is not limited to Verdun, but is aggravated there by the current gentrification of the neighborhood. The establishment of food assistance programs, adapted to the growing needs in the neighborhood has therefore become necessary.
10 Survey of rental housing, by borough–Canada Mortage and Housing Corporation.
“Rent is high and the cost of electricity and medication has gone up. After having paid for these expenses, we can’t make ends meet even if we both work” -A Verdun resident
“We seek to promote niche and trendy restaurants with innovative chefs, restaurants serving high-end comfort food, and mid-range and luxurious restaurants.” -Promotional information for la rue Wellington - 2015 (Welling Street Promotional Pamphlet- 2015).
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Issues to consider
- The need to develop and maintain an affordable commercial range of food-based businesses.
- The need to develop a comprehensive approach in the fight against poverty by linking issues of
housing, food, and basic needs.
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ACCESS TO FOOD ASSISTANCE Key Finding: In the past several months, many Verdun residents have visited Pointe-Saint-Charles on a weekly basis
for emergency food assistance. For example, Partageons l’espoir serves about 350 Verdun residents every week,
which corresponds to about 25% of the organization’s users. This highlights the current incapacity of the Verdun
community to respond to the demand for emergency food assistance in the neighborhood.
Food Assistance
Different local organizations collect and distribute foodstuffs for free or at a low cost, including fruits, vegetables, dairy products, eggs, frozen meats, etc.). They are distributed as grocery baskets throughout the year and as Christmas baskets during the holidays. (See Table at page 18)
Between 50 and 60 people receive an emergency food basket from the
Reseau d’entraide de Verdun (REV) every week; between 30 and 50
students from the Marguerite Bourgeoys School Board receive a grocery
basket, and around 20 elderly people receive a delivery of foodstuffs. An
additional 430 people have monthly access to community food
services. These numbers demonstrate the magnitude and diversity of
needs in Verdun.
However, emergency food resources seem inadequate or ill-suited to the strong demand for food assistance. There are several reasons for this, which partly explains why 350 Verdun residents receive assistance from food banks in Pointe-Saint-Charles every week.
A food supply that does not meet to the demand for food assistance
Lack of food assistance resources
Resources unknown to the
population
Inconvenient hours of
operation
Lack
of foodstuffs
Temporary closure of the
Reseau d’entraide de
Verdun in 2015
- Between 650 and 700 people benefit from emergency grocery baskets each week in Verdun and 430 people from affordable grocery baskets. - 310 frozen meals are distributed each week.
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Lack of Resources and Services
Local community organizations are unable to provide sufficient emergency food assistance to needy Verdun
residents. In addition to their financial constraints, many of these organizations rely on volunteers, limiting their
ability to expand or strengthen their services.
Table: Food Assistance Services in Verdun11
Type of Service Organization Number of residents served
Grocery baskets and urgent cases
Réseau d’entraide de Verdun 50 to 60 residents per week (emergencies)
430 residents per week (affordable baskets)
Société Saint-Vincent-de-Paul 400 residents per week (250 families)
Mission Unie du Sud-Ouest 300 residents per week
Réseau bénévole de Verdun* 50 residents twice a week
Carrefour jeunesse emploi de Verdun 17 residents per week
Manna Food Bank 5000 baskets provided yearly
Frozen meals Réseau d’entraide de Verdun 150 meals provided per week Réseau bénévole de Verdun 160 meals provided per week
Children/youths
Mission Unie du Sud-Ouest (denrées) 40 children three times a month
Réseau d’entraide de Verdun (Paniers d’épicerie d’urgence)
30 to 50 youths per week
* The Verdun Volunteer Network announced that as of October 2017, it will no longer be able to provide emergency
grocery baskets to families. Their emergency food assistance will target the elderly, with a focus on isolated senior
citizens.
Lack of Awareness Although many initiatives have recently been put in place to promote the services available in the neighborhood, these resources are not necessarily known to the entire Verdun population. (See page 25)
Inconvenient Hours of Operation Several citizens expressed concern over the opening hours of food assistance services and other services, saying that these hours were not adapted to their needs:
- There are no services offered in the evenings after 5:00 pm, other than on Wednesdays.
- There is no emergency food aid available on weekends, or on Mondays before 3:00 pm.
11Justice and Food Sustainability – research project in Verdun – Concordia University, Dawson College and Alternatives – October 2017.
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- Verdun residents have a difficult time accommodating the specific time slots established. It is therefore hard for community workers to properly refer residents seeking services.
Table: Food Assistance Services Hours of Operation12
Organization Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Réseau bénévole de Verdun 8 a.m. to 11
a.m.
Manna Food Bank 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Réseau d’entraide de Verdun 3 a.m. to 5 p.m.
12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Société St-Vincent-de-Paul 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Mission Unie du Sud-Ouest 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Lack of Available Foodstuffs Foodstuffs received or purchased, including at Moisson Montreal and the surrounding grocery stores are not sufficient to meet the locals’ needs: the demand for food is much higher than the supply. (See page 38)
Other Services
Mini Markets and Community Convenience Stores The Reseau d’entraide de Verdun and the Mission Unie du Sud-Ouest have set up a community convenience store and a mini market in order to provide a more affordable alternative to local grocery stores. Various commodities (vegetables, fruits, flour, canned goods, etc.) are sold at low-cost or in bulk. This allows those in need to buy emergency grocery baskets. The community convenience store and the mini-market serve an estimated 430 residents and 200 residents respectively every month.
Community Meals Various organizations offer free or low-cost community meals. These meals feed the hungry while bringing isolated individuals together. People get a chance to get out of the house, meet fellow locals, and make new friend.
12 Information Report – Concertation en développement social de Verdun.
“We do not have the capacity to serve the 350 households going from Verdun to Pointe-Saint-Charles. We do not have enough food to help them.” – Director of a food assistance organization
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Table: Organizations that provide community meals in Verdun13
Organizations Number of individuals served Casa-CAFI Mondays and Tuesdays
Église Épiphanie 75 individuals, twice a month
Mission Unie du Sud-Ouest Last Sunday of every month: 15 persons
Two Wednesdays a month
Projet PAL 45 individuals once a week
Maison des familles de Verdun 20 individuals once a month
Toujours ensemble 20 individuals once a month
Saint Willibrord’s Food Panty Soup kitchen three times a week Centre communautaire pour aînés Lunch from Monday to Friday
Adequate emergency food assistance services such as community meals are lacking in Verdun. Many Verdun residents must therefore go stock up on food in Pointe Saint-Charles.
13 Ibid.
Issues to Consider - The need to optimize the food supply in order to have more food commodities distributed
locally. - The need to establish more convenient opening hours for certain services and to anchor these
services at the neighborhood level.
- The need to develop or expand food distribution services, particularly those related to
emergency food assistance.
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Physical Access to Food
Key Finding: The location of businesses and food resources can be an obstacle in accessing food, especially for people with reduced mobility such as those without a car, seniors, people with disabilities, parents with a stroller, etc. In Verdun, businesses are fairly centralized around Wellington Street, Verdun Street or Place du Commerce. As a result, some residents are poorly served, especially when it comes to access to fresh products.
Food Stores in the Neighborhood
The distribution of food of stores in Verdun is uneven: - Wellington/de l’Eglise Neighborhood: 6 big-box stores
and 6 food and fruit markets - Demarchais/Crawford neighborhood: 1 big-box store and
1 food market - Nuns’ Island: 2 big-box stores
Half of these shops are located on the Wellington
Promenade or in its immediate vicinity.
Access to Fruits and Vegetables
In 2010, the Montreal Health and Social Services Agency updated a previous study on access to healthy foods in Montreal. 14 One of the study’s objectives was to identify the areas with easy access to fresh fruit and vegetable and those with difficult or no access. The Agency relied on an index that measures the “total surface area of fresh fruit and vegetables”, (the total retail area dedicated to fruit and vegetables) accessible within a radius of 500m around the central point of each distinct zone examined.
14 Study on Access to Healthy Foods – Montreal Health and Social Services Agency – 2010.
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The map below illustrates some of the neighborhoods included in this study. It shows the well-served areas and the food deserts of the Southwest-Verdun borough. The further away one is from Wellington Street, Verdun Street or Place du Commerce on Nun's Island, the harder it is to obtain fresh fruits and vegetables. The shaded areas represent food deserts.
Map: Access to fresh fruits and vegetables within a 500m radius by dissemination
area - CSSS du Sud-ouest-Verdun - 2010
A food desert is a low-income urban area in which it is difficult to buy good-quality fresh food. Source: Geographical Accessibility to Food Businesses in Quebec: Situation Analysis and
Intervention Perspectives - Institut national de santé publique du Québec
What is a food desert?
Main Food Deserts
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Persons living below the low-income cutoff line 15
Persons living below the low-income cut-off are faced with particularly severe problems: in Verdun, 34.5% of persons living below the low-income cut-off have no or limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables, which corresponds to 5,531 people.
- 2,406 people in Wellington / de l’Église
- 1,230 people in Desmarchais / Crawford
- 1,895 people on Nuns’ Island
The map above illustrates that many poor people (below the low-income cut-off) live in areas where access to fruit and vegetables is non-existent or extremely limited (shaded areas).
Senior Citizens16
Seniors are particularly affected by inaccessible grocery stores, since they are more likely to be faced with mobility issues. The map below illustrates that in some areas deemed to be food deserts, the concentration of people aged 65 and over is very high. Red areas are those in which more than 20% of the population is aged 65 or older.
15 This refers to the income threshold after taxes established by Statistics Canada during the 2006 Census. 16 City of Montreal – Montreal Statistics – Concentration of individuals aged 65 and over living alone - 2011.
Food deserts with a strong
concentration of senior citizens.
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Access to Resources and Services
Community resources for food are not evenly distributed over the boundaries. The majority of organizations that provide food security services are located in the Wellington/De l’Eglise (17 resources). Four resources are present in the Desmarchais/Crawford district and only two in Nun’s Island.
Issues to Consider
- The need to supply fresh food in areas deemed to be food deserts.
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Lack of Awareness of Community Food Resources and Services in Verdun Key Finding: Many Verdun residents experiencing difficulties in accessing food are unaware of the resources and
services available to them.
Local Testimonials "I think there are many people who are unaware of the services that are available in the neighborhood. They have needs, but do not know where to turn.” (A community worker in Verdun)
"I come from a country experiencing political turmoil and I would like to know all the organizations in Verdun that can provide me with food.” (A Verdun resident - Casa CAFI) "There are also people who are ashamed of their poverty and refuse to ask for help, especially those belonging to cultural minorities. Newcomers find themselves more "lost" in the neighborhood.” (A community worker in Verdun)
Efforts Undertaken to Promote Local Services
Community organizations have engaged in various efforts to connect with Verdun residents:
- internet and organization websites - door-to-door pamphlet delivery - posters - Linking community organizations and CIUSSS social
workers. However, connecting different community organizations has been problematic since they often are unfamiliar with the services provided by other local actors, and therefore, are not always capable of directing those seeking help to the appropriate venue.
- Word of mouth These efforts are quite fruitful, particularly due to their diversity, facilitating a wider outreach towards various parts of the population. However, there is a lack of informational tools on all the resources available in the neighborhood. Community organizations tend to give information in their own services only. Promotional efforts to raise awareness could be coordinated more comprehensively, given that these organizations are often lacking in means and resources.
“ I’m involved in the Un plant de tomates à la fois organization. I got to know the organization thanks to door-to-door solicitation.” - A Verdun resident
"I have been coming to the St-Vincent-de-Paul Society for almost two years. My friends advised me to go there.” - A Verdun resident
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Promising New Initiatives in Verdun Towards the end of 2016, local actors started to focus on disseminating information to Verdun residents and on the visibility and promotion of services provided by neighborhood organizations. Two resource directories were produced:
- A directory for community actors which would facilitate interactions and mutual familiarization between local organizations and would allow them to refer Verdun residents to resources which correspond to their needs.
- A directory for Verdun residents, which is a briefer document with the objective of providing direct access to information.
These two tools not only identify all local organizations and neighborhood businesses, but they also list available services (grocery baskets, community meals...), contact information, days and hours of operation and eligibility requirements.
A monthly calendar of food security services has also been developed and is regularly distributed within the network. This calendar contains information about the location and schedules of community meals, collective kitchens, food distribution, and mini-markets. The calendar was devised by three organizations (Casa-CAFI, Église Épiphanie and Mission Unie du Sud-ouest). Several organizations and their services have been added to the calendar.
Issues to Consider - The need to develop new tools for promoting resources and services, while ensuring that they
are adapted to the diverse needs of different population groups.
- The need to regularly update these promotional tools.
- The needs to ensure a comprehensive local coordination in the promotion of resources and
services.
- Approximately forty organizations are
listed in the directory
- 200 copies of the directory for
organizations were distributed
- 300 copies of the citizens' directory
have been distributed, in addition to
printed copies distributed by the
organizations themselves
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Lack of Knowledge Towards Food and Dietary Needs Key finding: The majority of community workers noted that many Verdun residents had little knowledge about what makes a healthy diet. This lack of knowledge can have a variety of concrete repercussions on food security. People may be confused as to how to use a given food, how to or whether to garden, how to reduce food waste, and how to make the best choices when purchasing food with a small budget?
Several Verdun initiatives aim to tackles these problems and to better equip individuals.
Urban Agriculture
Along with many other Montreal neighborhoods, there has been a strong development of urban agriculture in
Verdun in the past several years. Various urban agriculture organizations have emerged, including Un Plant de
tomates à la fois, Coopérative abondance urbaine solidaire, and Grand Potager.
Urban agriculture is a way of supplying the neighborhood with fruits and vegetables. In addition to providing fruits and vegetables to the people who grow them, the surplus produced can eventually be redistributed to a wider population.
However, in addition to being a means of production, urban agriculture serves many other functions. Notably, it educates people by raising awareness about gardening techniques, healthy eating, etc. It also promotes individual autonomy and social interaction, thus breaking down individual isolation.
There are different forms of urban agriculture in Verdun:
- Community gardens - areas of land divided into separate parcels made available to citizens for cultivation. Approximately 500 parcels were developed by the Company Horticultural Center. 200 are located at Adrien Archambault Park on Nuns’ Island, 180 are on the grounds of Douglas Hospital and 125 are near the Circus School of Verdun
- Collective gardens - gardens collectively cultivated by a group of citizens, who share gardening tasks as well as harvested vegetables.
- Growing in pots - for example on the roof of the Dawson Youth Center. - Municipal greenhouses - managed by Grand Potager
"I garden because I like to know where my fruits and vegetables come from. I also do it for financial reasons since I live alone in an apartment and it's much cheaper." - A citizen
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Education and Food Workshops
Several organizations offer education or awareness raising workshops pertaining to food: - Cooking workshops, especially with young people (Toujours ensemble, Mission Unie du Sud-Ouest, Un plant
de tomates à la fois and others.). - Awareness raising workshops on healthy eating, food waste, etc. (Carrefour jeunesse emploi - of Verdun, Un plant de tomate à la fois, CIUSSS). - Workshops for urban agriculture or horticulture (Maison de l’environnement de Verdun, Un plant de tomates
à la fois, Grand Potager, Coopérative abondance urbaine solidaire).
Community Kitchens
Five neighborhood organizations offer community cooking activities. Community kitchens are "places where people regardless of their status, pool their time, money and skills to prepare, through a four-stage process (planning, purchasing, cooking, evaluation), economical, healthy and appetizing meals to bring home. These kitchens are open to everyone who cares about healthy eating and a better quality of life for themselves and their families, while providing an opportunity for individual and group engagement within the community."17 These are spaces that allow people to take matters into their own hands and thus contribute to greater individual autonomy.
Table: Collective Kitchen Services
Organizations Number of people served Maison des familles de Verdun 15 peoples twice a week
Société Saint-Vincent-de-Paul 30 people twice a week
Mission Unie du Sud-Ouest N/A
Entre tes mains N/A
Casa-CAFI N/A
Neighborhood actors have repeatedly expressed the need to develop more community cooking activities. We must also consider sharing cooking equipment (See page 40) Some organizations would like to develop community kitchen activities but do not have adequate space and equipment to do so.
17 Group of Collective Kitchens of Quebec - http://www.rccq.org/fr.
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Issues to Consider
- The need to further improve and develop food and nutrition education workshops concerning urban agriculture, cooking activities, etc. -The need to share kitchen equipment in order to provide wider services
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Special Cases
Key findings: While difficulty accessing food can affect everyone regardless of age, origin, or family situation, certain categories of people encounter specific obstacles. Below are some frequently mentioned cases.18
Children and Youth
The difficulties many families face in accessing food have a considerable impact on young people. Many children and youth are not properly and adequately nourished; some arrive at school with an empty stomach while others only have one meal a day. Many organizations have sought to tackle this growing problem. Some have developed services that directly target children or young people.
- Réseau d’entraide de Verdun : provides emergency food baskets to Commission scolaire Marguerite Bourgeoys (30 to 50 students)
- Mission Unie du Sud-ouest : « Breakfast club » promgram (60 school children receive breakfast daily) - Toujours ensemble : Provides food to 58 youths daily, organizes educational workshops - Carrefour jeunesse emploi : emergency baskets - Un plant de tomates à la fois : workshops in schools - Club des petits déjeunes / Programme Lait-école
The loss of services in several schools also had an impact. For
example, since 2017, the children of École Chamoine-Theoret no
longer enjoy free snacks
In addition to developing short-term solutions to improve the nutrition of young people (grocery baskets, snacks, meals, etc.), it is important to continue and strengthen efforts to educate and raise awareness about healthy eating in order to develop good eating habits among young people.
Senior Citizens
As mentioned earlier (see page 21), physical accessibility to food is a major problem for senior citizens due to their limited mobility. Many senior citizens are also isolated, hard to reach, and living in poverty. A variety of solutions must therefore be considered.
18 Please note that these are merely a few examples mentioned during consulations and is not an exhaustive list.
“It is hard to ask hungry children to learn anything when they are hungry” - A school worker
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Cultural Communities
Immigrants represented 22.5% of the total population of
Verdun in 2011.19
This figure is notably higher in Nuns Island(36.7%) and has been rising for several years. Verdun is indeed a neighborhood that hosts an increasing number of people with an immigrant background.
Cultural communities face a variety of obstacles. A major issue they have to contend with is difficult access to information concerning resources and services available to them. This is particularly a problem for recent immigrants.
Another challenge faced by these communities is dietary and cultural habits that differ from that of their native country. It can be difficult for a newcomer to find familiar ingredients, with which he has previously cooked. This gives rise to certain challenges such as finding affordable food or how to eat healthily with unfamiliar products.
These concerns are central to Casa-CAFI’s agenda. For example, this organization often has to supplement foodstuffs arriving from Moisson Montreal with ethnic foods.
19 Statistical Picture of the Population of the Verdun Territory - CDSV-2014 based on: Statistics Canada - 2006 Census, 2011 Census and 2011 National Household
Survey.
"When people come from Central America, they need to find maize, corn flour, black beans, tortillas, and so on. These foods are not accessible or only a little is available in food banks. This situation is a barrier to access to food for these communities." - A speaker from Casa-CAFI
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THE MAIN OBSTACLES FACED BY
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
Lack of Financial and Human Resources
Lack of Consultation between Organizations
Food Supply
33
Lack of Human and Financial Resources
Key finding: Difficulties in organizational funding is a constant problem faced by food security actors. The majority of
community organizations in Verdun highlight the lack of financial and human resources at their disposal. This lack of
resources undermines the very existence of services needed by Verdun’s poorest and most vulnerable residents.
While this issue is not specific to Verdun, it is of particular importance given how the neighborhood is organized and
equipped to respond food security challenges.
Organizations Involved in Food Security Approximately twenty organizations work in food security in Verdun. While this appears to be a sizable number, several nuances must be recognized: - three organizations have food security as their main goal - 14 organizations do not have food security as their main goal but still offer certain food related services - three organizations have food security initiatives linked to religious institutions - partnerships between organization (2 partnerships) Most of the services and activities offered to Verdun residents are provided by "small" organizations or by organizations whose priority is the promotion of food security. Many organizations have had to develop food security initiatives to meet the needs of their patrons, since these needs were not necessarily met elsewhere in the neighborhood.
Lack of Financial Resources According to the Justice and food sustainability research project, 80% of Verdun organizations have a strong or very strong need for more funding .20 Similarly, 85% of surveyed organizations have a strong or very strong need for more resources (human and/or financial) for daily activities.
Lack of Human Resources The lack of human resources is a persisting problem for many food security organizations. Some organizations rely solely or in large part on volunteers. This is the case with the Société Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, where 15 volunteers help weekly with the distribution of food, and also with Casa-CAFI, which has 28 volunteers. According to Justice and Food Sustainability research project, almost 80% of organizations consider a network of volunteers as a major asset to their organization. 21 In many cases, volunteers are in fact essential to services (distribution, community meals, etc.). Volunteerism is also a way to encourage the involvement of Verdun residents in their community.
20 Justice and Food Sustainability – research project in Verdun – Concordia University, Dawson College and Alternatives – October 2017. 21 Ibid.
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However, the fact that some organizations rely entirely on volunteers may render services inaccessible and precarious. This can make it difficult to sustain and expand certain activities. Developing new initiatives without proper human resources also becomes difficult. In fact, the dire need for funding faced by many community organizations is underscored by the need to recruit employees or maintain current jobs.22
22 Ibid.
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Consultation Between Organizations: A Work in Progress
Key Finding: The Verdun Social Development Plan highlighted problems pertaining to a lack of coordination between food security organizations and its impact on community dynamics. Although praiseworthy community initiatives have emerged in recent years, most food security organizations still work in silos. This means that there is no comprehensive vision vis-à-vis food access issues.
Getting to Know Each Other to Facilitate Client Referrals Since most community organizations do not know each other, they struggle to refer citizens to resources which can respond to their needs. (See page 25) The creation of the resource directory and the calendar of activities helped to a certain degree. According to community workers, these tools allow for a wider dissemination of information to Verdun residents and thus increase the number of referrals.
Lending Each Other a Helping Hand
While the majority of Verdun community organizations working in food
security are either "small" or do not include food security in their mission statement, they still provide some related
services. Due to a lack of financial means and/or physical space, many organizations do not have equipment that
would allow them to develop new services or optimize existing ones, such as kitchen, truck, storage space,
refrigerator, and common room. (See page 40)
In order to share certain equipment more easily and efficiently, an inventory was made during a meeting in January 2017. This is a first step which must be followed by further steps in the same direction.
Consultation allows
actors to
Get to know each other better
Help each other out
Develop joint projects together
Share and pool together resources
and develop a common vision
"I work in a neighborhood
community organization and I did
not know, before last year, where
to refer people in need."
- A community worker
36
Table: Overview of food security organizations’ equipment23
Group Truck or vehicle Kitchen Freezer Room
Société St-Vincent-de-Paul X X X X
Réseau d’entraide de Verdun X X
Mission Unie du Sud-Ouest Vehicule X X X
Église Épiphanie X X
Réseau bénévoles de Verdun X X
Entre tes mains Vehicule
Casa CAFI Vehicule X x
Developing Joint Projects
The challenges of coordination did not prevent some inspiring joint initiatives from emerging. Here are some examples: Un plant de tomates à la fois: a product of the partnership between the Dawson Youth Center, Riverview School and Mission South West, this organization aims to trigger brainstorming on food security issues and to promote the production and accessibility of fresh food in the vicinity of the Desmarchais-Crawford area in Verdun. Their goal is to raise awareness about the ecological footprint of consumption habits and to encourage people to get their hands dirty and produce healthy food locally.24 Grand Potager: a group of organizations, corporations and citizens aiming to bring together innovative food security and vegetable projects under one roof. Located at the Municipal Greenhouse, Grand Potager seeks to provide support and resources to community groups already active in the borough. It also aims to launch new dynamic projects in urban agriculture and food security for the Verdun community.25
A New Collaboration: Verdun sans faim (Verdun without Hunger)
Since the end of the Verdun Food Security Committee (VFSC) in 2012, there has been no consultative forum for food security in Verdun. According to the actors in food security, the absence of a forum for consultation and coordination had several negative consequences. Organizations were unfamiliar with each other’s services, there was no comprehensive and collective vision of the situation, and the services provided by the organizations were not always consistent and reliable.
To compensate for this lack of a unifying entity dedicated to food security, food security actors were mobilized in the fall of 2016 under the banner of the Collective Impact Project. This mobilization process confirmed the need to create a new consultation forum. Two consultation meetings were organized respectively bringing together 44 and 30 people. These meetings laid the groundwork for the roundtable, Verdun without hunger, which was established in
23 Overview completed in January 2017. 24 https://plantdetomate.com/ 25 http://www.grandpotager.com/
37
March 2017. The roundtable brings together 19 neighborhood actors, including organizations, institutions, and citizens.
Mandate: To ensure that all Verdun residents have access to healthy and sufficient food.
Objectives:
- Improve communication and consultation between actors in order to share knowledge - Promote neighborhood resources
- Develop a comprehensive strategy for access to healthy food
- Make healthy and quality food available in sufficient quantities to all Verdun residents
- Increase the collective impact of the actors of the Verdun food system
- Promote 5 central themes: access to food including food assistance; popular
education; urban agriculture, community kitchens, food processing and food waste
Issues to consider
- The need to continue and consolidate the current dialogue. - The need to develop a common vision of food security issues and actions needed to be taken. - The need for organization to provide shared services and to share equipment.
Verdun without hunger in a few words
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Food Supply
Key finding: Verdun does not have a neighborhood-wide supply system. The majority of community organizations get their food from Moisson Montreal, and supplement this with food purchased from grocery stores. They also source, to a lesser extent, from growers around Montreal. Urban agriculture is also a source of food, although still not exploited to its full potential. It is widely thought that community has the capacity to collect more, thus increasing the volume of food distributed to Verdun residents in need.
Supply at Moisson Montreal
Table: Volume of food received by Moisson Montréal between April 1, 2016 and March 31, 201726
Organizations Volume de denrées reçues (en kg)
Réseau d’entraide de Verdun 45,529
Société Saint-Vincent-de-Paul 35,618
Manna food Bank 18,124
Réseau bénévole de Verdun 14,918
Casa CAFI 12,647
Centre de formation professionnels des carrefours 4,930
Maison du réconfort 4 729
Carrefour jeunesse emploi de Verdun 2,377
Charité Soleil Levant 2,319
TOTAL 141,191
For some organizations, the food received from Moisson Montreal is not sufficient, both in terms of quantity or variety of products. For example, the Saint Vincent de Paul Society spends $ 1,000 per month to complement its emergency grocery baskets.
26 Moisson Montreal
Lack of food availability in Verdun
Lack of an organized surplus collection
system from local grocery stores,
community gardens, etc.
Logistical challenges of supply at Moisson Montréal
- At the Montreal scale, the food distributed by Moisson Montreal makes it possible to meet 60% of organizations' needs.
- Between April 1, 2016 and March 31, 2017, Moisson Montreal distributed 141,191 kg of food to 9 Verdun organizations. Source: Moisson Montreal
Food waste
39
Collecting Food from Moisson Montréal: A Logistical Challenge Many organizations provide food assistance services without having the proper logistical resources (such as a truck or a car) or human resources (staff or volunteers) to go to Moisson Montreal each week to retrieve the foodstuffs. It is often more profitable or easier for them to purchase food in neighborhood grocery stores. Also some organizations currently accredited to Moisson Montreal will not collect all the goods to which they are entitled. With this in mind, the Réseau d’entraide de Verdun project aims to increase the volume of food available to Verdun organizations by facilitating supply through Moisson Montreal. The goal of REV project is two-fold: - increase the number of organizations accredited to Moisson Montreal, in order to increase the volume of food available in Verdun; - optimize collection at Moisson Montreal by using the REV truck to serve the organizations that wish to receive foodstuffs, especially those that do not have the logistical means to do so otherwise This collection system could also generate surpluses that would be redistributed to the entire neighborhood. Community organizations do not necessarily need all the weekly foodstuffs to which they are entitled to. Unused foodstuffs could then be redistributed to other organizations. Five organizations are currently contributing to the project and two others are being accredited at Moisson Montréal and will soon be receiving foodstuffs.
Local Food Supply
There is no organized food collection network in Verdun at the moment. Surplus from grocery stores, bakeries and other businesses, as well as communal and community gardens, could be collected, sorted and redistributed to the community. In addition to increasing the amount of food available for food security services, a local supply system would increase the variety of food and limit food waste.
Coordinating Local Food Supply and Distribution
Increasing the amount of food available to community organizations only makes sense if they are able to redistribute it to Verdun residents, whether directly or after processing. Some organizations are currently incapable of amassing any more food. It is therefore essential to assess each organization’s capacity before attempting to increase or optimize food distribution services.
40
Another issue that deserves special attention is the coordination between the food collection (whether at Moisson Montreal or on the neighborhood scale) and redistribution to organizations. Some perishable goods must be distributed or processed immediately.
Issues to Consider - The need to develop a local food supply system - The need to simplify foodstuffs collection at Moisson Montreal for community organization by sharing
services and equipment, and infrastructure (transportation, stocking areas) - The need to develop or further expand distribution services and activities (grocery baskets, markets,
community meals, etc.)
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SUMMARY AND MOVING FORWARD
Issues to Consider/Moving Forward
- Develop and maintain an affordable commercial food offering
- Develop a comprehensive approach to fight poverty by linking issues related to housing, food access, and other basic needs
- Increase the local food supply in order to distribute more food
- Adapt opening hours of some services to patrons’ needs
- Develop or expand food distribution services, particularly emergency food services
- Provide fresh foods to residents of food deserts
- Further develop new tools for promoting resources and services, while ensuring various means of dissemination in order to reach different stratum of the population
- Regularly update promotional tools
- Ensure the overall coordination of resources and service promotions at the neighborhood level
- Improve and develop more educational food workshop focusing on urban agriculture, kitchen activities, etc.
- Share certain equipment, such as kitchen equipment, in order to provide a wider array of services
- Continue and consolidate the present dialogue between various actors and organizations
- Develop a collective vision of food security issues and a common agenda
42
- Create a local food supply system
- Facilitate the collection of food at Moisson Montreal for organizations by pooling together certain services / equipment (transportation, storage ...).
- Develop or expand food distribution services and activities
43
ANNEX 1
An Overview of the Verdun Focus Groups
64 residents participated:
- A considerable majority were women (78%)
- 33% were between 15 and 35 years old, 25% were between 36 and 50 years old and close to 40% were over
65 years old
- 90% were tenants
- 33% were Verdun residents for less than one year, 27% for less than five years, and 40% for over five years
- Approximately a quarter of participants lived alone and 37% were families with children
- 20% were cultural minorities or recent immigrants
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BIBLIOGRAPHY Study on Access to Healthy Foods A Look at the CSSS of Southwest – Montreal Health and Social Services Agency - 2010.
Justice and Food Sustainability – research project in Verdun – Concordia University, Dawson College and Alternatives – October 2017. Borough of Verdun- Local Action Plan to Improve the Access to Affordable Housing - 2016 Centraide - http://pic.centraide.org/ Concertation en développement social de Verdun – Resource Directory for Food Access in Verdun-Winter 2017 Statistical Picture of the Population of the Verdun Territory - CDSV-2014 based on: Statistics Canada - 2006 Census, 2011 Census and 2011 National Household Survey. Grand potager - http://www.grandpotager.com/ Group of Collective Kitchens of Quebec - http://www.rccq.org/fr Canadian Mortage and Housing Corporation-Survey of Rental Housing, Categorized by Borough Société de développement commercial de la Promenade Wellington – Wellington Street Promotional Document - 2015 Statistics Canada – Census 2006, 2011 and National Household Survey 2011 Moisson Montréal –List of organizations accredited to Moisson Montreal and the amount of foodstuffs received in Verdun - October 2017 Un plant de tomates à la fois - https://plantdetomate.com/ City of Montreal – Montreal Statistics – Concentration of individuals aged 65 and over living alone - 2011 City of Montreal- Monteal Statistics –Economic Profiles, Borough of Verdun - 2014
