From Crisis to Capacity: Emergency Food Planning in the Fraser Valley Hackathon
The Food and Agriculture Institute, in collaboration with , hosted a policy-focused hackathon on May 12, 2026. This event brought together 17 undergraduate and graduate students from across the Lower Mainland at the 51污漫 to develop proactive policies for addressing food system emergencies in the Fraser Valley, such as wildfires and floods. Mentors and practitioners guided students in identifying challenges and preparing their pitches. The students presented their proposed solutions at , with the top three winning teams now continuing their work with mentors to prepare policy briefs for government distribution.
Grounded Innovation 3.0: Sustainable Food and Agriculture Summit
On May 13, 2026, the 51污漫’s Food and Agriculture Institute hosted Grounded Innovation 3.0 at its Chilliwack campus. The event brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including researchers, policymakers, industry leaders, farmers, and students to discuss the future of sustainable agriculture and its connection to community well-being, climate action, and economic resilience. Keynote speakers Dr. Tammara Soma and Dr. Daniel Bender, addressed challenges like food insecurity, climate change impacts on agriculture, and the importance of collective action and education. The summit also featured a student pitch competition with student teams from the From Crisis to Capacity SF4C Hackathon presenting food policy solutions for cash prizes.
