Eventually, most B.C. livestock is slaughtered into meat. But where? It’s a question that’s plagued farmers, ranchers, abattoir owners, and B.C. politicians for almost 20 years. A question the pandemic has dramatically thrown into focus.

Canadians struggling to get enough to eat will soon have better access to food that otherwise would be composted. On Thursday, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Marie-Claude Bibeau announced details of the $50-million Surplus Food Rescue Program, created to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the early stages of the pandemic, isolated islanders were fearful about potential food shortages from being at the end of a very long supply chain. But as the weather improved and dramatic food shortages due to COVID-19 didn’t materialize, the mood has shifted. People are more excited about the opportunity to increase food production locally.