Eat West Coast (EWC) is a hub for food security action in the Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Reserve region that works to bring together community partners to build a healthy food system where everyone has access to the foods they need to thrive. Based in Tofino, British Columbia, EWC supports eight remote communities where food is expensive and difficult to access, with some communities accessible by boat only. There is no local agriculture, traditional marine food is no longer a dependable food source and the communities have one of the highest costs of living in British Columbia.

With support from the Centre from 2018–2021, EWC is developing and scaling a regional ‘train the trainer’ program to help support the increasing local interest and activity in local food knowledge and food preservation techniques (storing, canning, smoking, pickling, drying, etc.). This program is meant to support families to access a variety of healthy traditional foods year-round and in times of need, and to support overall community food security.