20. Renfrew Collingwood Food Justice: Joyce St. Action Network – City Planning, Public Policy, and Cultural Food Assets

Organization Information

Organization Name

Renfrew Collingwood Food Justice (At Collingwood Neighbourhood House)

Mission

Renfrew Collingwood Food Justice (RCFJ) is based out of the Community Development department at Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH). RCFJ focuses on equitable access, intercultural learning and community leadership around sustainable growing, local food, food security, diverse food traditions, and healthy eating in the Renfrew-Collingwood neighbourhood. We believe that food is a human right, and that the “right to food” means much more than meeting basic nutritional requirements. We help bring neighbours together to find solutions to issues like hunger, isolation, and racism in our community. As a program run by non-binary, queer, femmes, and people of colour we feel called by our communities to do this work. Collectively, we speak Cantonese, Mandarin, English & French.

Our Vision

Collingwood Neighbourhood House: A Place to Belong, a Place to Grow.

Our Mission

To promote the well-being of the Collingwood community by providing leadership and working collaboratively with individuals, families, agencies and other groups to develop and support inclusive, innovative, sustainable initiatives and services that respond to the community’s social, educational, economic, health, cultural and recreational needs.

Guiding Principles and Values

Our Values

In our work to support our neighbourhood, Collingwood Neighbourhood House embraces the following values:

• Our neighbourhood as a place of connection, belonging and inclusion
• Individual strengths and gifts as the foundation of relationships
• Interculturalism and appreciation of our collective diversity
• Co-operation and mutual respect
• Participatory decision-making as a vehicle for empowerment and selfrealization
• Social justice and equitable access to a full range of quality community resources
• Integration, partnerships and collaboration with other organizations RCFJ values Indigenous Food Sovereignty, anti-racism, anti-gentrification, and mutual aid.

Contact Information

• Primary Contact Person(s): Gillian Der (she/they)
• Email: [[1]]
• Phone: 604 435 0323
• Address: 5288 Joyce St.
• Website: Renfrew Collingwood Food Justice

Preferred Method of Contact

• Best method(s) to contact: Slack
• Best day(s) to contact: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays
• Best time(s) to contact: Mornings, Afternoons

Preferred Platform(s) for Remote Collaboration

• In person
• Phone
• Zoom
• Slack

Project Description

Context: What challenge or issue does the project aim to address?

Joyce Street Action Network (JSAN) is a collaborative effort of individuals, planners, non-profit organizations, artists collectives, and researchers. JSAN works to support the retention of cultural food assets and slow gentrification in the Joyce-Collingwood neighbourhood. We work in solidarity with the six Pilipino, Korean and Chinese food businesses and tenants at 5163-5187 Joyce St facing displacement by a developer proposal to build a 32-storey condominium tower on the site. We are working toward reimagining the Joyce Collingwood Neighbourhood as a space where cultural foods, community, and cultural transmission continues well into the future. Students involved in this project can support the future health of Joyce St and cultural food assets by researching innovative city planning initiatives that support heritage and cultural food asset businesses.

Main Project Activities and Deliverables

• Literature Review of public planning documents from cities preserving cultural foods around the world
• Media Creation: distill public planning documents into an accessible format for the lay person. (include translations if possible)

Student Assets and Skills (preferred or required)

• Language skills, such as: Cantonese, Korean, Mando, Tagalog
• Assets: community organizing background, some graphic design skills, interest in public policy and planning, resident or connection to Joyce St or Renfrew Collingwood Neighbourhood

Are there any mandatory attendance dates (e.g. special event)?

• Every other week on Sunday mornings JSAN research and development committee meets. Students should be prepared to go to those meetings to create connections and receive support from other JSAN members

Is a criminal record search (CRS) required?

• Yes

If a criminal record search is required, when should the process be initiated?  

• Before the first community partner meeting

Who is responsible for initiating the criminal record search?

• Student

Related Community Service Opportunities for Students

• We might be hosting some community town halls that would really benefit from some extra hands on deck!

Required Reading

Project/Partner Orientation Materials

Students should review these materials prior to the first partner meeting:

• hua fountation Chinatown food security report Vancouver Food Strategy
• JSAN timeline document, mission, demands (JSAN website should be up soon!)
• Gentrification and Small Food Businesses - Joyce Street Action Network (Fall 2021 LFS350 student project) - review Infographic and request final report from your TA

Additional Project/Partner Orientation Materials

The following will be provided at the first community partner meeting:

• There is a volunteer manual and set of guidelines that I will pass along