SURREY, B.C. - Food Banks Canada and Second Harvest will each receive up to $10 million to pass on to local food banks and community organizations, Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald announced on October 23, 2026. The money comes from the federal Local Food Infrastructure Fund’s new Community Support Stream, worth up to $20 million in total.
How the money reaches local groups
The two national organizations are the stream’s initial recipients. Each will distribute its funding through individual applications from eligible food banks and not-for-profit community organizations, known as ultimate recipients, to acquire and distribute food to families in need. Community organizations are encouraged to use the Community Support Stream Initial Recipient Finder to determine which of the two organizations best serves their area and needs. Projects and final funding amounts are subject to a negotiated contribution agreement.
“Every Canadian should have access to nutritious food, regardless of where they live or their circumstance,” MacDonald said at the announcement at Second Harvest in Toronto.
Food Banks Canada CEO Kirstin Beardsley said the funding will help food banks across the country purchase the food they need as visits continue to increase. Second Harvest CEO Lori Nikkel said the investment will get resources directly to grassroots organizations so they can provide nutritious, culturally appropriate food.
Part of a wider food security plan
The funding flows from Canada’s first National Food Security Strategy, announced by Prime Minister Mark Carney on June 11, 2026 and backed by $3.2 billion over 10 years. Food Banks Canada’s network includes more than 5,500 food banks and community organizations, and Second Harvest is Canada’s largest food rescue organization.
What it means for Surrey
Surrey food banks and community groups are the kind of organizations this stream is built for, and they can apply through whichever national organization serves this area, using the Recipient Finder. No Surrey recipient has been announced yet; the funding first flows to the two national organizations, which will open their own application processes for local groups.
Source: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada news release, October 23, 2026
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