Communities responding with care to a changing climate
July 23, 2026
Staff and volunteers tend the urban farm at Roots Community Food Centre under smoke-filled skies in Thunder Bay. (Photo: Roots Community Food Centre)
The past few weeks have been challenging for communities across our network, with wildfires, flooding, and extreme weather affecting people and organizations in different ways.
In Northern Ontario, wildfires and heavy smoke are taking a toll on communities. At Roots Community Food Centre (CFC) in Thunder Bay, that has meant adapting outdoor work and programming while continuing to grow food, keep staff working safely, and care for the wellbeing of their community. As people from affected communities are evacuated to Thunder Bay, Roots CFC is also preparing to welcome more community members to their meals and market.
In BC, Líl̓wat Nation, home to Líl̓wat CFC, has been navigating multiple challenges close to home—from a nearby wildfire bringing heavy smoke, power outages, and the risk of potential road closures to the impacts of the Place Glacier outburst flood hazard in the surrounding area.
In Nova Scotia, The North Grove CFC has become an official HRM Comfort Centre, while NorWest Co-op CFC has stepped into a similar role in Winnipeg during a damaging storm. With air conditioning and air purifiers, these CFCs provide a cool, clean place for community members to find relief from the heat and smoke, while also welcoming people—including firefighters—to enjoy a nourishing meal and recharge.
These experiences reflect the growing impacts of climate change on communities, while also highlighting the vital role local organizations play—not only every day, but especially in moments of crisis.
As Right To Food CEO Nick Saul reflects:
“We often talk about ending food insecurity through better incomes and stronger public policies. Moments like these remind us that the right to food is inseparable from the right to a healthy, safe, and livable future.
Climate change affects the food we grow, the prices we pay, the stability of our communities, and ultimately our ability to live in good health. And it doesn’t affect everyone equally, either. It makes it even harder for people who are already struggling to access the food they need and the security they deserve.”
He continues:
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Responding to these challenges means thinking beyond emergencies. It means building more resilient communities, ensuring everyone has the income they need to weather difficult times, supporting Indigenous stewardship of lands and waters, and investing in food systems that can withstand a changing climate.
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Nick Saul, CEO, Right To Food
We are thinking of our partners, staff, volunteers, and community members navigating these challenging times. Thank you for your care and commitment.
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