LaSalle Engaging with food store-owners from culturally diverse communities Borough
Food retail
Survey
Highlights ●● LaSalle is a historically working class, highly industrialized, and isolated borough in the South-West of Montreal. ●● Gentrification is leading to exclusion and disparities. The community partners determined that there is a need to assess how food retailers could engage underserved immigrant communities in the area. ●● The Dawson Food Justice Hub worked with community partners to create a map of retailers and develop an interview guide for food retailers. ●● These tools, especially the interview guide, could be modified by different community groups to engage independent food retailers servicing cultural communities in further advancing food security in underserved neighbourhoods.
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Mapping
Introduction
significant socio-demographic changes with an increasingly aging and more culturally-diThe borough of LaSalle is located in the south- verse population. Following some city-led inwest of Montreal. LaSalle’s historic proximity vestments in social planning and community to the Lachine canal, a waterway largely for development of the Airlie-Bayne neighbourcommercial purposes until the 1950s, meant hood, researchers recommended that govthat it attracted a number of industries. Many ernment intervention from federal and provinfactories eventually closed, although some re- cial was required to address LaSalle’s social main today. Long administered as a separate and economic disparities.1 municipality from the City of Montreal, LaSalle became a borough in 2002. Certain parts LaSalle’s community roundtable, the Table de of LaSalle remain enclaved by highways, in- développement social de LaSalle, was revived dustrial centers, and train tracks, with public in 2008 after a period of hiatus. The committee transportation being a limiting factor. on food security also underwent similar cycles of engagement and disengagement. In 2017, Economic disparities and poverty have been an external consulting agency was mandated documented in LaSalle, pointing to the need Klein, J.L. and Enríquez, D. (2012). Évaluation for proper housing, education and job op- 1 et accompagnement du projet animation de quartier. portunities as well as safety and mobility is- (Assessment and support of the neighbourhood acsues. Furthermore, the territory is undergoing tivities project [French only]) CRISIS. URL: http://bit.ly/ DawsonFJ23
