The Struggles of Addressing Food Insecurity in the West Island: A Community’s Challenge

Food insecurity remains a persistent issue in the West Island, even though our region is often thought of as wealthy. However, a 2023 study done by Table de Quartier Sud de l’Ouest-de-l’Île (TQSOI) has found that over 20,000 people living in the West Island are considered low-income and therefore may be facing food insecurity. Food insecurity is defined as not having physical or economical access to safe and nutritious food to meet a person’s dietary needs for an active and healthy life. While efforts to fight this have increased, those working on the front lines—food banks, charities, organizations, and local volunteers—continue to face significant challenges.

One of the biggest obstacles is inflation. The rising cost of food has strained household budgets, making it harder for low-income families to afford basic groceries. In addition, they, along with those on a fixed income (like many of our seniors), struggle to afford housing, and sometimes a choice between eating or paying rent has to be made. Simultaneously, donations to charities have decreased, leaving many organizations scrambling to meet growing demand. 

Furthermore, many individuals facing food insecurity live in food deserts, which are areas with limited access to affordable and healthy food. People living in food deserts are often forced to rely on food options that are processed and unhealthy—especially for those without means of transportation. To quote the TQSOI study: “In an urban area, accessible usually means 500m by foot or 3 km by car and would take into consideration the workability of the area (sidewalks, roads, etc.).” By this definition, over 83% of the residents of the West Island live in food deserts and therefore have poor access to fresh produce.

Another important issue is the stigma associated with asking for help. Many people hesitate to seek assistance, feeling ashamed or embarrassed, which prevents them from accessing the support they desperately need.

As one can see, addressing food insecurity is challenging and requires more than just providing food—it demands understanding, compassion, and sustainable solutions.

Corbeille de Pain is a West Island charity based in Pointe-Claire whose mission is to promote food security through programs that provide education, build community, and increase access to nourishing food; in collaboration with community partners, they focus on doing just that.

Their programs and projects are dedicated to improving food security by fostering

sustainable changes with:

Solidarity Markets:

Its three West Island markets, which are available from July to October in Pointe-Claire,

Pierrefonds, and Dollard-des-Ormeaux, not only make nutritious food more accessible to people in vulnerable situations, but they also promote the local economy by sourcing from local farmers and paying them a just price. The "Pay What You Can" pricing model offers the market participants to pay a fairer price based on their own financial situation. This model helps to reform our current food system, which is a system that enables larger grocery stores to have control over inflation.

Community Kitchen Workshops:

These workshops are offered to West Islanders who can benefit from learning about preparing healthy and cost-effective meals. Its team of animators shares their knowledge, skills, and recipes that use pantry staples, cost-effective proteins, and in-season produce. Emphasis is put on working together as a team in the preparation of the meals, as well as meal planning tips, minimizing food waste, and ways to reduce grocery bills. These workshops also run on a “Pay What You Can” pricing model.

Community Gardens:

This program designates coordinators to different West Island community gardens to offer guidance and support to its members for the gardening season. The main responsibilities of these coordinators are to provide free supplies, foster a sense of community, provide a safe space to create a connection with nature, give tips on how to manage a garden throughout the season, and highlight the simplicity of readily available produce. Workshops on nutrition, nature, and cooking with the produce harvested are also presented as part of this program.

Fruits Défendus:

This project links fruit tree owners with volunteer pickers to try to ensure that precious local food resources are not wasted. After harvest, the fruit that is picked is divided between the fruit tree owner, volunteer pickers, and their organization.

How can we, as community members, help? Fostering a culture of empathy is certainly a good start. Volunteering with any of the West Island organizations that focus on food security and/or donating funds to them goes a long way in helping them follow through with their mission. Attending their fundraising events is also a welcome contribution. Even helping to spread the word about what they do and the services that they offer as a way to contribute is appreciated.

For more information about Corbeille de Pain and how to help, please visit https://www.corbeilledepain.com.