Projects

Indigenous Food Sovereignty Association (IFSA) focuses on service delivery and projects at Tea Creek which includes infrastructure development for on-site programs.

In 2023 IFSA is grateful for the increase in support from private sector donations, grants, contracts and contributions that helped cover the cost of various improvements at Tea Creek. These projects include:

Wash-pack upgrades: The upgraded wash pack was finished with more space, a new tarp roof, stainless steel tables, and a new well-drained and graded floor.

Rural Economic Development Infrastructure Program (REDIP) Infrastructure grant: We completed new roads, two new ponds totaling 900,000L, a phase 2 compost site, new 1.5” waterline backbone, and earthworks for the new root cellar.

Root Cellar Construction: Root cellar building was designed and constructed from the ground up on-site, and includes a second floor that will be our new office space. Funding for this project was secured through IFSA and is part of our Food Hub. This build included local lumber, local contractors/Indigenous apprentices, and refurbished items to make it cost-effective.

Building our Longhouse: We have been approved for a $990,000 grant from United Way for construction of our longhouse food hub! This has been a dream since year 1, and we are all very excited about building this building. 

Purchase of Commercial Greenhouses: We purchased 2 high-quality commercial greenhouses, 40x100. Brand new and purchased 50% off from a non-profit down south. The transportation cost was donated.

Farming and Distributions: We produced over 20,000lb of produce, and distributed it all into the gift economy through Farm Fresh Fridays and opening our fields. IFSA also purchased $10,000 worth of farm produce at Amisk Farm in Moberly Lake to distribute in the community.

The root cellar build included local lumber, contractors and Indigenous apprentices. The trusses you see above were all milled and built on-site allowing for a great learning opportunity for apprentices like Tony, pictured below

Weekly food gift-aways are always a popular event at Tea Creek and often include the whole family. This season we hosted a number of Farm Fresh Fridays and gifted thousands of fresh produce to community members. We also opened the fields to community members to harvest.