A growing network of small, local food producers, in combination with changing consumer demand is leading to a surge in local farmers’ markets and the agritourism sector in the region. Launched by the BC Association of Farmers’ Markets, the BC Farmers’ Market Trail provides maps, itineraries, and other information to support trip planning to more than 145 farmers’ markets across the province. In 2018, the BC Farmers’ Market Trail was expanded to include enhanced regional profiles, to have one for each region in the province.
This project will expand the BC Farmers’ Market Trail with a regional showcase for the Island and Sunshine Coast, highlighting 33 farmers’ markets with in-depth features on markets, in-season products, and profiles of farmers. As visual and narrative content is developed, a social media campaign and media strategy will be implemented to support agri-food tourism across the Island and Sunshine Coast.
Through enhanced collaboration and promotional resources, this project will strengthen the connection between local farmers and the region’s growing agritourism sector. The project is anticipated to increase the overall number of visitors to farmers’ markets within the region, positively impacting revenues for food producers, as well as other tourism-supporting businesses.
Island Coastal Economic Trust approved funding for this project in 2018 through the Investment Readiness program.
We work in reciprocal relationships with coastal communities across the ancestral territories of the Kwak̓wala, Nuučaan̓uɫ, Éy7á7juuthem, Ligwilda'xw, Pəntl'áč, She shashishalhem, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, Hul’q’umi’num’, diitiidʔaatx̣, SENĆOŦEN, Lekwungen, and T’Sou-ke speaking peoples.
