2021 Survey on FPGs and COVID-19

Food policy groups (FPGs) have played a key role in helping communities address issues that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. FPGs have worked extremely hard, along with many partners, to address the increasing demand for food in their communities and advocated for issues that were more clearly brought to light during the pandemic, such as issues of inequality, injustice, racism, and colonization. The past 1.5 years have been a challenge for many FPGs, but also presented opportunities for groups to work on novel projects and develop new partnerships. 

As a group, Food Communities Network/Réseau Communautés Nourricières (FCN-RCN) wants to know how your FPG has been responding to COVID-19, what challenges your FPG is facing, and what successes you have achieved. By taking this survey, you are helping to show the value and impact that FPGs are making to address food systems needs in communities across the country. 

Questions and timeline

We recognize that you and other members of your FPG are doing critical work and are extremely busy. We greatly appreciate your effort to take this survey. The survey takes about 20 minutes to complete. You may save your responses and return anytime using the same device before February 28, 2022 to complete it. A copy of your responses to the survey will be available for download and emailed to you after you complete the survey.

If you would like to review the questions before starting the survey, please click here.

If you have previously filled out a survey about your FPG either from the Food Policy Networks, most of these questions will look familiar to you. 

We recognize surveys are not an effective way of engaging all communities. If you prefer to have a conversation instead of filling out the survey, or if you have another way that you would like to share information on your work with us, please email info@fcn-rcn.ca 

Uncertain if your group is a food policy group (FPG)? 

We consider FPGs to be formal or informal groups or networks of groups of people (can include residents, non-profit organizations, businesses and government) working together to address issues across the food system, primarily through policy or programs, at the community-wide, band/city/municipality/county/territory/region level. The term FPG captures food policy councils, food systems alliances, food strategy tables, neighbourhood food networks, food justice initiatives and others. If this overall definition describes your group, regardless of which name you are called, then this survey is for you.

How will this information be used?

By filling out this survey, you are helping to document the value and impact of FPGs across Indigenous Territories/Canada. For more information on why we use this term, please go here.

Our partners at The Food Policy Networks project at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future are also conducting this survey with food policy groups in the United States. 

You are also helping to reduce requests for interviews or surveys from other researchers. FCN-RCN will develop reports based on the data and will share non-public contact information with vetted partners and researchers. 

Where is the data going?

Please note that questions #3 - #12 are included on the public FCN-RCN website, including public contact into, FPG name, location, status, type of FPG, website, social media contacts, and years formed. Some of these answers will be on the online directory, some will be included on a map of FPGs coming in early 2022. You can see the current directory here.    

Any other information will be provided to the public in aggregate form. This directory is also linked to the USA Food Policy Network website (hosted at Johns Hopkins University), which lists many international directories. By completing this survey, you are granting us permission to post the basic contact information about your FPG in public online spaces connected to FCN-RCN. 

Questions, concerns, or need help with the survey? Please email info@fcn-rcn.ca  

Click on the arrow button in the bottom right hand corner to begin the survey.