Whereas farmers markets are a key resource in addressing food security during an emergency by providing access to food quickly and efficiently; And whereas it has been demonstrated that farmers markets can replace disruptions to food supply chains at the local community level and in times of emergency, for instance in the case of the Quesnel Farmers Market during the 2017 Cariboo Chilcotin wildfires and the closure of Highway 97 over multiple days: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request that the Province take the necessary steps to ensure farmers markets are identified as an essential service during all provincial and local states of emergency.
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Government is interested in supporting local governments and British Columbians during emergency events to ensure quick and efficient access to locally produced foods and overall food security. Government moved quickly during the Covid-19 pandemic to designate farmers markets as an essential service, minimize the pandemics impact on our local food producers, and ensure citizens safe and efficient access to locally produced foods. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries MAFF also worked to secure funding to enable farmers markets to quickly pivot their businesses and enable them to offer their products online to ensure continued consumer access. MAFF have consulted with Emergency Management BC EMBC to confirm the use of essential service designations in the province during emergency events. EMBC has advised that such a designation does not exist for general emergency events, and that the essential service designations outlined in response to the Covid-19 pandemic is unique to this event. In all emergency events, a key goal of the government is to minimize the incidents impact on citizens and businesses. It is not currently envisioned under other hazard types examples: wildfire, flooding, tsunami, earthquake that government would be taking steps to close businesses. As emergency response is predominantly led by local authorities and First Nations who are empowered to declare local states of emergency and make decisions regarding measures such as Evacuation Orders that may impact business operations within their jurisdiction, it would typically be up to this level of government to address the potential impacts of these decisions on farmers markets and other businesses. UBCM may wish to engage in further discussions with the Ministry of Health and the Provincial Health Officer regarding whether such a designation could be considered under the provincial pandemic response framework led by Ministry of Health. As occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic, MAFF will continue to advocate for, and support our local farmers markets to ensure they are designated as essential during any future public health emergency where public safety considerations support such an approach.