Understanding the vulnerabilities and resilience of food systems: A case-study of three food service operations in the City of Vancouver

Local governments are increasingly undertaking research to identify vulnerabilities of their food system with the goal of understanding how food security will be impacted during and after a disturbance. This research uses a case study of three food service operations (FSOs) within the City of Vancouver to understand how a short term and a long-term disturbance may impact the FSOs’ ability to provide low-cost meals to the public in need of this service. Food service operations set the menu, purchase, prepare and serve food at a facility or institution such as a community centre cafeteria. The aims of this research are to: (1) characterize vulnerabilities of the FSOs, and (2) identify characteristics of the FSOs that can or do increase resilience to the disturbances. This research develops a framework, the Food Service Operations Vulnerability Assessment Framework, to assess the overall impact a disturbance may have on the FSOs’ ability to provide food. The Framework was developed through a literature scan of food system vulnerability, through resilience research, and by incorporating and building upon similar frameworks used by other local governments. Interviews with the three FSOs staff were conducted and applied to the Framework, using the disturbances of an extreme weather event and an earthquake as hypothetical examples. Results found that the structural stability of buildings, power and water supply are the most vulnerable characteristics, as damage to them is likely to reduce the ability of the FSO to provide food to the public. Possible cumulative impacts, such as simultaneous road network damage and power loss, increase the vulnerability of the FSOs. The flexibility and resourcefulness of the FSOs staff, the multiple food distributors to the FSOs and on-site food storage may increase the resilience of the FSO to disturbances. Overall, this research provides other FSOs with a framework to understand their vulnerabilities and identifies resilience characteristics that could maintain food security during and after a disturbance.