Urgent Study on Food Access Launched for Surrey’s Black Community

URGENT UPDATE: A groundbreaking study has just been launched to investigate the critical issue of food access among Surrey’s Black community. Researchers, alongside local volunteers, are focusing on the alarming rates of food insecurity impacting this population, with a staggering 76 percent of Black respondents in Surrey reporting difficulties in accessing culturally preferred foods.

The initiative is spearheaded by Cayley Velazquez, an instructor at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, who has secured $600,000 in federal funding over the next five years. “We want to better understand what is impacting the availability, accessibility, and utilization of food for this community,” Velazquez stated. This study is especially urgent as Surrey is home to B.C.’s largest self-identifying Black population.

The research comes in response to growing concerns from farmers like Toyin Kayo-Ajayi, who has been cultivating African crops in Mission, B.C. since 2019. He noted that many Black newcomers are struggling with health issues linked to the lack of access to the foods they grew up with. “When they get here, after a year or two, they’re not feeling really healthy,” Kayo-Ajayi explained. His efforts to grow crops such as cassava and yam highlight the challenges of sourcing these culturally significant foods, which are often expensive due to reliance on international shipping.

Early findings from the advisory group reveal that food insecurity is not only extensive but also disproportionately affects Black and Indigenous households, which are 3.5 times more likely to be food insecure. “Access to nutritious and cultural food is, and should be, a right,” said Anna Spyker, co-ordinator of the advisory group.

The study will delve into why these barriers exist and how they affect residents, aiming to inform equitable food programs and policies that meet the needs of all people. “The ultimate goal is to use what we learn to inform equitable food programs and policies that meet the needs of all people,” Velazquez emphasized.

This initiative is crucial in a region where retail options for African and Caribbean foods are limited, primarily concentrated near the King George SkyTrain station in North Surrey. Many individuals travel from across Metro Vancouver and even from Vancouver Island just to obtain these essential supplies.

Kayo-Ajayi believes this study could open up significant agricultural opportunities in B.C., stating, “There’s a big market for this and the opportunity is massive.” As the research progresses, community involvement will be key in shaping future policies to enhance food access and security.

With the first phase of the study expected to yield results soon, the community watches closely, hopeful that these efforts will lead to tangible changes in food availability and health outcomes for Surrey’s Black residents. Stay tuned for updates on this critical development.