Assessing 'affordability' of food at the University of British Columbia : planning for the future of food security

The economic aspect of food security at The University of British Columbia was assessed by investigating perceived overall affordability of campus food items. Questionnaires regarding campus food establishments and participants’ purchasing habits were distributed randomly at high-traffic locations on campus. Seventy-eight percent of respondents rated the overall price of food at UBC as “moderately expensive” or “expensive” and 80% purchased food five times per week or less, leading us to conclude that overall food pricing is predominantly inappropriate for the UBC community. Short-term, intermediate, and long-term practical recommendations are proposed to facilitate achievement of UBC food security within a dynamic and evolving community. Disclaimer: “UBC SEEDS provides students with the opportunity to share the findings of their studies, as well as their opinions, conclusions and recommendations with the UBC community. The reader should bear in mind that this is a student project/report and is not an official document of UBC. Furthermore readers should bear in mind that these reports may not reflect the current status of activities at UBC. We urge you to contact the research persons mentioned in a report or the SEEDS Coordinator about the current status of the subject matter of a project/report.”Land and Food Systems, Faculty ofUnreviewedUndergraduat