Urban Food Resilience Initiatives Society (UFRIS) is stirring up food-growing news!
CURRENT NEWS:
Tuesday May 20. City of Langford Council. Presentation about the new (draft) Official Community Plan. 7 pm in council chambers at 877 Goldstream Ave. If you appreciate Porcher Park Community Garden come speak in support of expanded food resilience initiatives in Langford, or just attend in support of food security being part of Langford’s growth plan. | See: Langford OCP includes food security goals that align with UFRIS recommendations (May 21, 2025)
May 15 to October 15, 2025. PORCHER PARK COMMUNITY GARDEN SUMMER GROWING SEASON. For people who grow food! The 2025 summer growing season is happening at Porcher Park, 822 Wren Place, Langford. The garden is open 7:30 am to 7:30 pm (or dusk). Assigned plots were announced on May 12 and 13. We’re trying to include everyone, with a wait list as required after that. Sponsors, donors and volunteers welcome. Inquire about the garden or get your name on the email info list: info@urbanfoodresilience.ca .
Summer 2025. Neighbourhood Food-Growing Pod pilot project – you are invited to be part of the first high-density neighbourhood grow-at-home community pod (an emergency preparedness initiative). Email to info@urbanfoodresilience.ca or tel/text 250-588-7091. In social media, we’re on X at @UrbanFoodResil .
ARCHIVE:
Tuesday May 20. City of Langford Council. Presentation about the new (draft) Official Community Plan. 7 pm in council chambers which includes Food Systems and Security as part of Langford’s growth plan. | See: Langford OCP includes food security goals that align with UFRIS recommendations (May 21, 2025)
Thursday May 15. PORCHER PARK COMMUNITY GARDEN OPENING DAY. For people who grow food! The 2025 summer growing season starts May 15 at Porcher Park, 822 Wren Place, Langford. Assigned plots were announced on May 12 and 13. We’re trying to include everyone, with a wait list as required after that. Sponsors, donors and volunteers welcome. Inquire about the garden or get your name on the email info list: info@urbanfoodresilience.ca .
Saturday May 10. Meet-and-Greet at Porcher Park Community Garden — well attended by keen gardeners to find out more about growing plots and meet the new food-growing community. | NEWS COVERAGE: Porcher Park Meet and Greet (Island Social Trends – May 11, 2025)
Friday April 11. Growing Food in Urban Spaces. UFRIS presentation to West Shore Rotary. 12 noon, at White Spot in Langford.
Tuesday April 22. EARTH DAY in LANGFORD. Celebration at Porcher Park (on Wren Place in central Langford). Remarks by Langford Mayor and Council, and UFRIS. | NEWS COVERAGE: Gardening & Play: Porcher Park opens Tuesday in Langford (CFAX – April 21, 2025) | Trees planted & food-garden celebrated by Langford on Earth Day (Island Social Trends – April 22, 2025) | Langford neighbourhood celebrates opening of new playground, community garden (CTV – April 22, 2025) | Langford ‘hits it out the park’ with transformed forgotten green oasis (Black Press – April 23, 2025)
March 25, 2025. Mew Farm in Langford. UFRIS Executive Lead attended an open house at Mew Farm in Langford, where also an indoor growing facility will produce greens for the local grocery supply chain.
March 25, 2025. Agriculture and Food Minister’s Roundtable in Sooke. UFRIS Executive Lead Mary P Brooke participated in the afternoon roundtable, hosted by Agriculture and Food Minister Lana Popham and local MLA Dana Lajeunesse (Juan de Fuca-Malahat).
February 2025. Community Garden in Langford. UFRIS has submitted an Expression of Interest to set up and operate the new Porcher Park Community Garden in Langford. Stay tuned for progress with this project! The growing season is to start on May 15.
January 18, 2025. King Charles III Coronation Medal received by UFRIS Executive Lead Mary P Brooke, awarded by Alistair MacGregor, MP, Cowichan-Malahat-Langford, at a ceremony in Cobble Hill. The medal recognizes significant commitment to community.
Saturday January 11, 2025. Environmental Expo. 11 am to 4 pm. Free, drop-in, Info booths & presentations in Colwood. UFRIS had an info booth & led a discussion about urban food resilience.
Saturday November 16, 2024. UFRIS members meeting, everyone welcome (one-time $5 fee to be a member). Learn about the first Langford community garden and the UFRIS recommendations to the BC Premier for Ministers’ mandate letters. At Serious Coffee View Royal, 1703 Island Highway, 11 am. RSVP to info@urbanfoodresilience.ca or just drop-in.
Saturday September 29. UFRIS info booth at the Luxton Fair in Langford.
Thursday September 26. WorkBC Job Fair – Info booth by Urban Food Resilience Initiatives Society, 12 to 5 pm at the Langford Legion. Volunteer inquiries: Neighbourhood Pod Connector | Community Garden Ambassador | Workshop Host.
Thursday August 15. Information booth at Sooke Night Market. Lots of great conversations at our booth about what people are growing and the importance of individual household food resilience in the west shore & Sooke region. Prize draw winner for a bag of garden soil is Gaby.
Wednesday July 24. Urban Food Panel. Four speakers who are leaders in the food-growing community discussed key aspects of urban food challenges. Relaxed format, with audience participation and networking, led by UFRIS Executive Lead Mary Brooke.
- Pre-event article about Urban Food Panel (July 20, 2024)
- Event review: Mid-summer UFRIS panel explores urban food growing, emergency storage (July 28, 2024)
- REQUEST A COPY OF THE URBAN FOOD PANEL JULY 24, 2024 EVENT REPORT – available by donation. To receive the PDF, please send e-transfer for $5 or greater, to info@urbanfoodresilience.ca .
Tuesday June 18. Presentation to View Royal Council. Urban Food Resilience Initiatives Society will present information about the Society’s work to enhance the growing of natural food in urban spaces, with an eye to emergency preparedness. 7 pm.
Sunday May 12. May Day for Mother Earth. Urban Food Resilience Initiatives Society held an info booth at this well-attended event at Royal Bay Secondary School, with an emphasis on environment/climate-related aspects of growing food in urban spaces.
April 22. Earth Day. What did you do for Earth Day? We celebrated by planting veggies and some bee pollinator flowers.
Saturday April 13. Public Engagement about Porcher Park in central Langford. The park plan includes a food-growing community garden. Drop-in 9 am to 11 am. Engagement & link to online survey. (Survey open to April 21, 2024).
April 1. National School Food Program announced by the federal government, to kick in September 2024, to fill gaps in provincial and school district programs. News article | News release
March 30, 2024. Urban Food Resilience Initiatives Society held our first public information booth on March 30, 2024, chatting with food-growing enthusiasts at Sooke Seedy Saturday. We asked people what they grow in their household gardens.
March 16, 2024. Land for Langford’s first community garden has been cleared and stands ready for development, in Porcher Park on Wren Place in central Langford. | News article
March 4, 2024. Urban Food Resilience Initiatives Society was successful in receiving a Grant from the City of Langford. We are grateful for the city’s support toward an exciting new wave of people growing their own food in Langford.
January 24, 2024. A group of urban food resilience enthusiasts met to discuss community gardens in Langford.
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Page last updated: May 21, 2025