Canadian students build school farms to improve food access
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Students at four Canadian schools took initiative to build and maintain their own greenhouses and farms, addressing food access and climate concerns in their communities.
At Sussex Middle School in New Brunswick, the Earthlings Climate Club started a greenhouse to supply produce for the school breakfast club after noticing a lack of climate change discussion.
The Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation in Saskatchewan constructed a greenhouse dome as part of a larger project to regain food sovereignty for community members who receive limited monthly income. Alert Bay Elementary School in British Columbia partnered with local First Nations groups, the Kwakwaka’wakw, ‘Namgis, and Nawalakw, to build a greenhouse suited to the island’s climate, feeding the school’s lunch program. Students drew on existing greenhouse farming knowledge within their communities.
Oilfields High School in Alberta operates a vertical farm within a shipping container, selling produce to local businesses and the school itself. After installing a biosecurity headerhouse, the school eliminated 30% crop loss due to pests. These projects demonstrate how students are actively engaging with food systems and taking ownership of solutions, with some schools seeking funding and partnerships to sustain their efforts beyond students’ graduation.
