spinach

How we can be Gordie Howe in Canada’s kitchens

First We Eat: There are Canadian foods I’d love to see on my table if I could obtain them here

Interprovincial trade regulations exist to protect local economies, preserve regional autonomy, and of course generate local income. But even the Bank of Canada believes lowering internal barriers would boost our economy while effectively keeping our dollars in Canada.



Scenic autumn view of the rural landscape, orchards, vineyards, and wineries of Oliver located in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada. Photo: laughingmango/iStock/Getty Images Plus

Local food system would reap big economic benefits researcher says

B.C. researchers found that the Okanagan could produce two thirds of its own food while maintaining exports

Assuming an average Canadian diet, the Okanagan can currently produce 88 per cent of its dairy needs, Mullinix and colleagues wrote in a report on the study. It can produce 60 per cent of its poultry needs, 34 per cent of its fruit needs (due to fruits eaten that can’t be grown in the region, or are eaten out of season), and small amounts of other food groups like grains, red meat, eggs and oils.