More locally grown produce added to Vancouver Island hospital, care-home meals
Island Health is increasing the amount of local food that's served in meals at hospitals and long-term care facilities in the Vancouver Island region.
Produce from Galey Farms in Saanich and Michell's Farm in Saanichton are being added to deliveries for Island Health facilities in Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Chemainus, Cumberland and Campbell River.
Other local farms are also included in the pilot project, which was developed by Island Health with input from Islands West and the Island Vegetable Co-op Association, according to the province.
"Having access to fresh, high-quality food in hospitals and care facilities helps people heal," said Adam Walker, MLA for Parksville-Qualicum, in a statement Friday.
"This initiative also benefits farmers, producers and people across B.C. by strengthening our food supply chain and supporting local jobs," he said.
According to the province, nearly one third of all food purchased by the B.C. health-care system is locally produced or processed.
The province adds that steps are taken to ensure that all food is up to its safety standards, regardless of whether it is sourced locally or abroad.
Every year, Island Health serves approximately four million meals to patients and residents on Vancouver Island alone.
The health authority has also added new recipes to its meals that make use of Vancouver Island produce it is receiving, according to the province. The recipes include:
- Potatoes – potato salad, roasted nugget potatoes
- Carrots – maple glazed carrots
- Beets – borscht, orange glazed beets
- Cabbage – coleslaw, braised red cabbage
- Zucchini – chocolate zucchini bread
"Having our loved ones able to enjoy more local and seasonal food while in hospital or living in long-term care is an important part of healing and staying connected," said B.C. Minister of Agriculture Lana Popham.
"What started as a simple idea has now grown into an important and successful program," she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
Canada, G7 urge 'all parties' to de-escalate in growing Mideast conflict
Canada called for 'all parties' to de-escalate rising tensions in the Mideast following an apparent Israeli drone attack against Iran overnight.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.