Elmwood has become a ‘food desert’

Elmwood

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/03/2025 (273 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With the spring thaw beginning after a long winter, many people in Elmwood and around Winnipeg are looking forward to a new season. The cold weather is receding, at least for now, and residents of the neighbourhood can begin to focus on what new services and amenities the neighbourhood needs to stay vital and welcoming.

One of the most pressing issues for some residents is the lack of a good-sized grocery store within walking distance. Since Tasse’s Balkan Foods closed a year ago, Elmwood residents have had to rely on small corner stores with limited selections or they have had to take public transit or a vehicle larger and better-stocked stores outside the neighbourhood.

On the East Kildonan & Elmwood Community Safety, News, and More Discussion Group on Facebook, contributor Charlene Lori Friesen lamented the loss of Tasse’s, referring to the store as a “great family business” that was part of the neighbourhood for 23 years.

The loss of one mid-sized grocery store might not matter much to people with cars, who can easily drive to another location to buy their groceries. However, for those who depend on walking, cycling, or taking the bus, it was a major blow, especially as the neighbourhood has three large apartment buildings, with a fourth coming up, in addition to the many houses nearby.

As the Winnipeg Foundation’s Community Solutions to Hunger website notes, Elmwood, Chalmers, and Glenelm are currently considered ‘food deserts’, which are defined on the Government of Canada website (Canada.ca) as “residential geographic spaces, typically in urban settings, where low-income residents have limited or no access to retail food.”

However, that situation might change. Staff at the Chalmers Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation (CNRC) have been working to get another store into the area to provide options for people whose access to nutritious, affordable food has been severely limited in the past year.

The Winnipeg Foundation website notes that the CNRC is already running programs to address food issues. Since 2015, the organization has run the Better Access to Groceries (BAG) project, in addition to other initiatives that help residents find the food they need to stay healthy.

Food insecurity can be a very difficult issue. Together, leaders and local organizations must find solutions to northeast Winnipeg’s food desert to help keep the people in these neighbourhoods healthy.