Advocacy Working Group

Hand-drawn illustrations of seven blueberries with smiling faces, grouped together.

The goal of this working group is to create pathways for systems change that advocate for food as a human right and advances policy change to support food resilience.

A gathering of people seated around a table at an event or celebration. The table has a colorful, patterned cloth with a bowl of snacks and some brochures. In the background, there are booths with displays and banners, and a projection screen on the wall.
Handwritten note discussing a community-focused vision with goals such as accessible land, cultural communities, sustainable food, tools, multiple locations, well funding, advertising, dancing, internships, animals, farming, and broader farms for shared experiences.

What We’ve Done So Far

The Advocacy Working Group has been advancing a broad strategy to strengthen public understanding of food insecurity, support frontline efforts, and inform policy change across Edmonton and the Prairies. The group has identified key advocacy areas, focused on education, systems-level barriers, and community-led solutions.

  • The team is developing public education efforts that highlight barriers to food access, systemic inequities, and opportunities to reduce food waste through business partnerships. Learning sessions held in 2025-2026 will continue to inform this area.

  • Meetings with frontline and mutual aid groups continue to identify persistent challenges including limited funding, restrictive bylaws, systemic inequities, and mental-health strains. The launch of the WhatsApp Community now provides a shared space for resource exchange, collaboration, and system navigation.

  • Nearly a dozen learning sessions are planned from April 2025 to Spring 2026, centering lived experience and multiple intersectional perspectives. These sessions will support policy advocacy and strengthen community voices.

  • Partnership building remains a key priority. Microgrant funding awarded 10 projects who will report back on their initiatives at a roundtable sharing circle planned for January 7 2026. The group is also expanding regional relationships with partners in Calgary, Winnipeg, and across the Prairies.

  • A bibliography on food security and policy research has been drafted to support data-informed advocacy. Additional storytelling and educational campaigns are in development to amplify community experiences and inform policy solutions.

  • The John Humphrey Centre has drafted a Food Advocacy Strategic Plan, which will guide future work and align shared priorities across Working Groups. Plans to refine and focus the overall advocacy strategy through a workshop-based planning session will happen in mid-December.

  • We will continue cultivating relationships with provincial and regional partners, including the YYC Collective, Righting Relations Canada, and Prairie Food Vision System Network.

  • Integrate learnings and insights from other local microgrants, regional partners and international food sovereignty initiatives to integrate into project objectives.

What’s Next?