Saskatoon Good Food Junction closure spurs healthy debate

As another food store readies to close, people debate pitfalls of finding health food in city's core neighbourhoods.

As another food store readies to close, people debate pitfalls of finding healthy food in city

Madeline Kotzer CBC News Posted: Jan 15, 2016 12:42 PM EST | Last Updated: January 15, 2016

Billions of dollars of food goes to waste in Canada every year. (CBC)

After 10 years of businessin Saskatoon's Riversdale neighbourhood, the Good Food Junction Co-operativewill close on Jan. 27.

The healthy food co-op's board of directors said the decision came after three years of low sales in a competitive market.

The Good Food Junction will be closing its doors at the end of January. (Kathy Fitzpatrick/CBC)

The news comes during a week in which discussions about access to healthy food options are brewing.Earlier this week, the City Centre Food Cooperative held a pop-up grocery market at the Saskatoon Community Service Village.

The fruit and vegetable sale was a temporary way todeal with the lack of grocery access in the downtown core after the closure of the Shop Easy Grocery store in the City Park neighbourhood.

Many people said there needs to be a better food option in the area.

@LeishaCBC Needs to be an established grocery store with (ie Sobey's) with reliable deliveries of food and decent prices. Edmonton has it ..
—@tarahackl

@LeishaCBC every large city I've been to has Sobeys, Metro, etc downtown. Smaller stores but functional. Why not in Saskatoon?
—@hi_robyn

@tarahackl @CBCSaskatoon @LeishaCBC That didn't work in City Park. Chain stores want profits. They'd have to see it as philanthropy...
—@ShellyYXE

Others offered criticism.

@hi_robyn @CBCSaskatoon @LeishaCBC Despite what Atchie may think, #yxe is not New York or Vancouver. Invest in the city not just downtown.
—@Evan68Ford

@LeishaCBC It will take change on many levels - corporate practices, peoples' expectations, gov't investment & fixing a broken food system
—@leleinah

Some pointed out that thecore neighbourhood store wasup against cheaper food options nearby.

According to the Food Institute atthe Universityof Guelph, the average Canadian household will spend about $350 more on food in 2016.

The dropping dollar, which one investment bank predicts isheading for 59 centsUS, is expected to leave shoppers with highergrocery bills.

Are you working to bring healthy food options to Saskatoon's core neighbourhoods? Let us know. Email sasknews@cbc.ca.

Tweet your thoughts to @CBCSaskatoon or join the discussion on CBC Saskatoon's Facebook page.

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Saskatoon Good Food Junction closure spurs healthy debate

As another food store readies to close, people debate pitfalls of finding healthy food in city

Many people said there needs to be a better food option in the area.

Others offered criticism.

Some pointed out that thecore neighbourhood store wasup against cheaper food options nearby.

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