Nova Scotia’s first ‘Mobile Food Market’ rolls through HRM

Dozens of people showed up to check out a new and innovative way to shop for fresh fruit and vegetables on Saturday morning in East Preston, N.S.

It’s called the Mobile Food Market and offers residents a chance to shop for healthy food on a city bus that’s been fitted as a store.

“It’s very unique, its wonderful to see,” said Keith Colwell, MLA for the area and Minister of Agriculture for the province of Nova Scotia.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It's very unique, its wonderful to see," said Keith Colwell, MLA for the area and Minister of Agriculture for the province of Nova Scotia.

The Mobile Food Market will visit five different communities in HRM. The first stop was East Preston, but the pilot project will also roll through North Preston, Spryfield, Fairview and North End Halifax.

“We know that there are food deserts which come to be known as, where there just isn’t really good access to fresh fruits and vegetables, its not anybody’s fault necessarily, its just grown to be that these areas don’t have access to it,” said Halifax Mayor Mike Savage.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We know that there are food deserts which come to be known as, where there just isn't really good access to fresh fruits and vegetables, its not anybody's fault necessarily, its just grown to be that these areas don't have access to it," said Halifax Mayor Mike Savage.

The Nova Scotia Health Authority says one in every five homes in the Halifax Regional Municipality either can’t afford or can’t access healthy food, something they feel is a serious public health issue.

It’s hoped the new mobile food market will help address food insecurity.

“We spend an awful lot of time in our hospital institutions advising people on what to eat, giving them nutrition counselling, that type of thing, but if it isn’t actually available, then they can’t do it,” said Dr. Gaynor Watson-Creed, Medical Officer, Nova Scotia Health Authority.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We spend an awful lot of time in our hospital institutions advising people on what to eat, giving them nutrition counselling, that type of thing, but if it isn't actually available, then they can't do it," said Dr. Gaynor Watson-Creed, Medical Officer, Nova Scotia Health Authority.

RELATED: Halifax ranked lowest city in Canada for food affordability

“So,anything we can do to promote the availability of food goes a long way towards those chronic disease prevention messages actually becoming reality to people.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "So,anything we can do to promote the availability of food goes a long way towards those chronic disease prevention messages actually becoming reality to people."

The food will be sold at prices that are comparable to discount grocery stores and will be delivered directly into the neighbourhoods every two weeks.

“It’s nice to have something local where you don’t have to drive, people can walk, come and chat in the community, chat in the rec centre while they’re picking up their produce,” said Juliette Thomas, who lives in East Preston.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It's nice to have something local where you don't have to drive, people can walk, come and chat in the community, chat in the rec centre while they're picking up their produce," said Juliette Thomas, who lives in East Preston.

The pilot project runs for the next 21-weeks. To find out when the Mobile Food Market will be in your community, click here.