Take Action Together

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“As a member of the social justice committee, I am committed, along with the other members, to making access to food a universal right. This right is the foundation of our dignity and our ability to thrive.”

— Social Justice Committee Member

At The Depot, we know that food insecurity isn’t a personal failure.

It’s not about poor choices — it’s about systems that create unequal access to resources and opportunity. When wages don’t keep up with the cost of living, when social programs fall short, and when rent and groceries rise faster than paycheques, people are left without enough income to meet basic needs. Food banks help people get by, but they can’t solve poverty. They are a stopgap, not a solution.

If food is to be a right, not a privilege, we have to address the root causes: inequity, poverty, and systems that fail to protect people when they need support most. That’s why advocacy is central to our work. Alongside food access and building community health, we work to change the systems that perpetuate poverty in our communities.

We take action at every level:

Organizing locally through our Social Justice Committee, where neighbours come together to learn, reflect, and take action on local issues, and through our participation in the NDG Coalition for Food Security
Engaging municipally and provincially as active members of CSAM (Comité de sécurité alimentaire de Montréal), RIOCM (Regroupement intersectoriel des organismes communautaires de Montréal), and RCCQ (Regroupement des cuisines collectives du Québec), pushing for stronger policies and supports
Engaging in pan-Canadian advocacy by leading Quebec’s Regional Advocacy Network in partnership with Right To Food Canada and as a founding member of the Quebec Chapter of the Coalition for Healthy School Food

Together, we are building a more equitable food system — in NDG and across the country.

OUR SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE

The Social Justice Committee is a drop-in citizen action committee that meets monthly to explore how inequity is experienced in NDG — and to take action together. Through conversation, learning, and organizing, members build understanding of the systems that drive poverty and food insecurity, and develop collective solutions for change.

OUR SHARED PURPOSE:

The Social Justice Committee is grounded in dignity, human rights, and community care. We mobilize around poverty reduction and food justice by advocating for systemic change, amplifying the voices of those most impacted, and working toward long-term community well-being.

Through collective action, community education, and policy engagement, we work to remove barriers to essential resources, strengthen local connections, and build a more equitable NDG where everyone can thrive.

Eligibility:

Open to all, with a focus on creating a space where diverse backgrounds, lived experiences, and perspectives come together.

OUR COMMUNITY PRIORITIES

Income that meets basic needs
Affordable, accessible food
Sustainable funding for community programs
Affordable, secure housing

Get Involved

Do these priorities speak to you? Join the Social Justice Committee!

OUR ADVOCACY WORK

Change happens when communities come together around the issues that matter most.

At The Depot, our advocacy campaigns unite local voices with broader movements to tackle the root causes of poverty and food insecurity — so that nourishing food is recognized as a human right, not a privilege.

What We’re Working Toward

Our advocacy focuses on dismantling the structural barriers that create and sustain food insecurity.

Recognizing the Right to Food

We advocate for formal recognition and realization of the Right to Food in Canadian law and policy — ensuring access to healthy, dignified food as a basic human right.

We work in partnership with the Réseau pour une communauté nourricière du Québec (RCCQ) and the national Right to Food campaign.

Ensuring an income floor

We push for income supports and a stronger social safety net so no one falls below basic living standards. This includes advocacy for:

A Groceries & Essentials Benefit
A fairer Canada Disability Benefit
A Canadian Working Age Supplement
A Canada Housing Benefit
A National Healthy School Food Program
Increased Welfare Benefits
Increased Minimum Wage
Guaranteed Basic Income

Securing sustainable funding for community food programs

In 2024, we joined the Regroupement intersectoriel des organismes communautaires de Montréal (RIOCM) in calling for increased core-mission funding (PSOC) for Montreal community organizations working in food security, and for all community groups that work by, for, and with the most underserved populations.

Building local, resilient food systems that nourish everyone

We’re proud to be part of the movement to create a Plan de développement d’une communauté nourricière (PDCN) in CDN-NDG, a collaborative, community-driven roadmap for creating a local food system that is healthy, sustainable, and accessible to all.

OUR ADVOCACY RESOURCES