The First Recipient of the Community Impact/Social Innovation Fund
The Nova Scotia Co-operative Council is pleased to announce the first recipient of the Community Impact/Social Innovation Fund: The Halifax Regional Food Hub.
The fund is intended to support social enterprises that are making a difference in their communities, by meeting a need or maximizing an opportunity that provides both social and economic value.
“The Halifax Regional Food Hub is an example of community economic development – recognizing that the economic outcomes of both producers and customers can be improved by helping them to connect,” said Dianne Kelderman, CEO of the Nova Scotia Co-operative Council.
Incorporated as a non-profit multi-stakeholder cooperative, the Halifax Regional Food Hub aims to strengthen the local food system in Nova Scotia by connecting small- and medium-scale food producers from across mainland Nova Scotia with wholesale customers in Halifax Regional Municipality.
The founding members of the non-profit co-op are the Farmers Markets of Nova Scotia, Nourish Nova Scotia, the Mobile Food Market and Novalea Kitchen and Market. Feed Nova Scotia is also a supporter of this initiative through its Innovation and Learning Lab.
“We’re beyond thrilled to be named the first recipient of this funding,” said Justin Cantafio, Executive Director of Farmers’ Markets of Nova Scotia and one of the food hub’s interim directors. “The Halifax Regional Food Hub is a key piece of local food infrastructure that will help our farmers and food producers connect with new, local markets.”
Wholesale customers consulted in the Halifax metropolitan area include restaurants and schools. The Halifax Regional Food Hub will provide last-mile delivery as well as aggregation and cole storage. It will also work with existing food hubs and co-packers – such as The Station Food Hub in Newport Station – to help their product reach metro-area customers.