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Partners
University of the Fraser Valley

Participants People from rural, remote, and northern communities; Racialized Peoples

Locations
British Columbia

Additional Partners

New Harvest

Topics
Sectors
Tech and Automation
Related Tags
Digital Divide disruptive technologies future skills shock-proofing
Home| Innovation Projects|Project

The future of food through agricultural technology

This ground-breaking research explores the potential of cellular agriculture – food created in a lab – to create a year-round supply of nutritious food and develop jobs in an exciting new field.

COVID-19 has revealed multiple vulnerabilities in food systems and supply chains. An emerging set of technologies known as cellular agriculture could enable local, reliable production of dairy and meat alternatives with a low environmental footprint. Cellular agriculture enables people to produce food products using cell cultures and tissue-engineering or fermentation-based techniques.

Image of Fraser Valley Farmland.

Led by the Food and Agriculture Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley in BC, this initiative could improve food security by providing a constant supply of nutritious food while also increasing job skills and employment. However, technology alone cannot comprise a food systems solution, and the creation of an effective, resilient food system strategy requires the technology to be viewed through a comprehensive social, cultural, economic, and environmental sustainability lens.

Future Skills Centre is investing $234,859 in this 2-year project. Using the region of BC’s Fraser Valley for a case study, this research explores the potential of cellular agriculture to enhance food security, economic development, and sustainability in Canada. The research uses a community-based approach to engage local government, stakeholders, and community members and to collaboratively explore opportunities and challenges around the development of a local cellular agriculture industry. The results of the project will provide a plan and roadmap for developing such an industry in the Fraser Valley, and the findings will provide details on initiating a local pilot project.

Evaluation Strategy

This project is evaluated using tools and approaches aligned with its goals, context, and stage of development. The evaluation focuses on generating the right evidence at the right moment to move the intervention forward. Read more about our evaluation strategy.

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Learning From One Another: Building a Stronger Skills Development Landscape in Nunavut, Northern Ontario, and Yukon

  • October 2024
  • Signal49 Research (formerly The Conference Board of Canada)
Skilled trades are a priority and among the top occupations in demand in Nunavut, Northern Ontario, and Yukon between 2024 and 2045; meeting this demand remains a persistent concern. Which type of organizations play a key role in sustaining Northern trades? What are the factors that impede Indigenous and Northern students from working in the trades even after they’ve participated in training programs? What plans are in the works that will allow for sustaining training, collaboration, and reduction in duplication in skills development services? Read the impact paper for a look at three programs that are making a difference, and an analysis of more services and approaches that could meet the demand for skilled trades in Canada’s North.
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Winnipeg Newcomer Employment Hub

  • March 2025
  • Magnet, Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce
The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce launched the Winnipeg Newcomer Employment Hub (the Hub), as part of its Commitment to Opportunity, Diversity & Equity (CODE) program, to address barriers newcomers face in finding employment.
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Strengthening Social and Emotional Skills in Adults: the Learning Experience at Canadian Collegesexternal link icon

  • April 2022
We know that social and emotional skills (SES)—such as communication, collaboration, and leadership—are critical for life success. Yet the bulk of programs that teach SES end after high school. We continue developing SES in adulthood—through informal experiences like employment, co-ops, volunteering, extracurriculars, and caregiving, as well as formal instruction. These skills are important. So how are post-secondary institutions teaching them?
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