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Josh Smee

@joshsmee.bsky.social
299 followers 358 following 84 posts

Community development pro, public space nerd, fresh air addict. CEO of Food First NL, involved in lots of other projects. Posts my own. He/Him.

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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 02/12/2025
Food on the Move is turning 3! If you're kicking around St. John's today, drop down to the shared space at 77 Charter Avenue from 11 to 1 for market times and some party treats!
A banner picture of vegetables making a birthday cake
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 13/11/2025
Finally in town to make an order from the Avalon Food Hub! So much affordable local bounty. Sign up at avalonfoodhub.ca
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 24/09/2025
Great resource from our team at @foodfirstnl.ca to inform your municipal vote! www.foodfirstnl.ca/blog/voting-...
foodfirstnl.ca
Voting for the Right to Food in Municipal Elections — Food First NL
Download this blog post as a PDF . Food is a basic human right — but many people don’t have access to the food they need.  Every town and city in Newfoundland and Labrador will elect a new cou...
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 14/09/2025
Sharing a gift link to a gift of a article. As a Southern Ontario Millenial Robert Munsch was both a literary and a physical presence. I sat at his feet many times and I never fully understood how famous he was. This article added a lot to my understanding of him. He'll be so missed.
nytimes.com
When Dementia Steals the Imagination of a Children’s Book Writer
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Russell Alan Williams @russellawilliams.bsky.social · 09/09/2025
Come meet the St. John's city council candidates running for the at-large seats "under the whale" tomorrow. They'll be serving up their visions for the city.
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 13/08/2025
One thing I really enjoy about having a staff team that works (partly) remotely is all the different scenery we get on our team calls. The winner this week is definitely the person working from the deck of a longliner off the coast of Labrador!
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 14/06/2025
Nice to be back in the Happy City space to speak to folks at their Campaign School. Municipal elections are this October - get out and run!
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Food First NL @foodfirstnl.ca · 12/06/2025
With our staff spread across the province, bringing us all together is tricky, but always the highlight of the season! To say there was a lot of gratitude and joy in the room at this year's Staff Gathering is an understatement.
FFNL staff listen to a presentation from Ian at Tree of Life in their gardensFFNL staff have circle time in the grass at Tree of Life with blankets, pillows, smiles, and sodas.
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 22/05/2025
Grey day on the West Coast today but the @foodfirstnl.ca Food Hub is full of colour.
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 04/05/2025
Spent a lovely Sunday afternoon at the Autism Society Greenhouse for the Food Producers Forum AGM. Lots on the go with their work, including a shiny updated website at www.foodproducersforum.com
A man speaks to people on chairs in a greenhouse
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 01/05/2025
The data dump that our team at @foodfirstnl.ca waits for every year is here - new food insecurity numbers (for 2023) from the Canadian Income Survey. The news is... not good. 30.1% of NLers were food insecure in 2023, up from 26% the year before. Third highest rate of the provinces.
www150.statcan.gc.ca
Food insecurity by economic family type
Number and percentage of persons by household food security status and economic family type, Canada and provinces.
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 27/03/2025
A very useful graph/thread here!
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 24/03/2025
Labradorians, it's survey time! Our team at @foodfirstnl.ca has a survey out to gather some info about what kinds of country foods people want to eat. This will help inform all sorts of work happening in Labrador right now. Survey link is here: survey.alchemer-ca.com/s3/50271634/...
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Russell Alan Williams @russellawilliams.bsky.social · 15/03/2025
The end of the carbon rebate is unquestionably bad for low income households. Life just got more expensive for people who can least afford it.
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 14/03/2025
A fun little cat to let out of the bag this week (I'm on the St. John's Public Libraries Board) is that we're hoping to move the Michael Donovan Library from it's itty-bitty storefront (1600 square feet!) to a bigger more accessible spot in the Village. It's not a done deal yet, though! (1/5)
saltwire.com
Popular Topsail Road library moving to Village Mall
St. John’s Public Libraries receives $50,000 capital grant to create larger, accessible, modernized facility in city’s west end
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
We've got town hall meetings coming up Friday at lunch and Tuesday at supper! Good food and good chats for sure. Register at www.77charter.ca
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André Picard @picardonhealth @picardonhealth.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
Canada now has a national school food program now that all provinces and territories have inked funding deals with Ottawa, by @davemcginn.bsky.social www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... via @theglobeandmail.com   @chsfcanada.bsky.social
theglobeandmail.com
All provinces and territories join Ottawa’s national school food program
Advocates say the program is a crucial step in supporting students and help families struggling with rising food costs
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
Looking forward to speaking to some smart folks for this one!
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 08/03/2025
This is neat! Designs are regionalized so there are some Atlantic Canada ones that look pretty nifty.
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 06/03/2025
Dark times these days so it's nice to have some dreaming to do. Won't you join us? 77charter.ca is the spot!
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 06/03/2025
I'll be on CBC radio in Labrador this morning at 7:40 Labrador time, talking tariffs and what they mean for our food systems. Listen in if you're in the Big Land!
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 04/03/2025
Some thoughts on the trade war, now posted on the @foodfirstnl.ca blog. Things are going to be hard, but there are the beginnings of a road map on how to respond.
foodfirstnl.ca
What Could the Trade War Mean for the Right to Food in Newfoundland and Labrador? — Food First NL
The threat has now become reality. As of March 4th, the United States imposed a 25% tariff on Canadian imports and Canada launched retaliatory tariffs on a range of American goods.  To wrap your ...
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 27/02/2025
We just finished up a fun afternoon launching this thing with some great friends and colleagues. It's pretty neat to look back on a year's work and have so much to talk about. Super-proud of our team at @foodfirstnl.ca today.
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 27/02/2025
Going on air with the CBC St. John's Morning Show around 7:20 to talk school food! There's a big survey out and a ton of opportunities coming. Listen in if you can!
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Food First NL @foodfirstnl.ca · 25/02/2025
All are welcome to join us this Thursday as we look back on our work in 2024 and plan for 2025. Enjoy some light refreshments, explore our new home, and let us know what you'd like to see happen at Charter Avenue -- YOUR new community food space! Register now: www.foodfirstnl.ca/community-up...
foodfirstnl.ca
Annual Community Update — Food First NL
More information and registration for the annual Food First NL Community Update.
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
I'm sure folks in Labrador will be watching this one with interest.
winnipegfreepress.com
Class-action lawsuit alleges northern grocer pocketed ‘millions’ from subsidy intended to lower food prices
The company with a grocery monopoly in many northern communities is being accused of profiting from millions of dollars in federal food subsidies intended to lower food prices for remote residents. In...
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UBI Works @ubiworks.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
BREAKING: New PBO Report estimates a Guaranteed Basic Income can reduce poverty by 40% nationwide at a net cost of just $3.6B/year and 1% impact on hours worked. Poverty costs Canada $80B+/year.
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Food First NL @foodfirstnl.ca · 14/02/2025
As we celebrate love and connection today, let's find ways to share that love with our communities. Volunteer, share a meal, or donate to an organization working in food insecurity. We can all help our neighbours and communities feel loved and cared for by championing the human right to food!
A white surface with five heart-shaped cookies frosted in red, pink, and white royal icing at left. One features a lace and dot pattern, another reads "Love". Overlaid text right: "Roses are red, violets are blue, article 25 of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights states you have a fundamental right to food!" Food First NL logo appears beneath.
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 11/02/2025
Hey St. John's drivers, the usual post-storm reminder from your friendly neighbourhood pedestrian: slow down and make some space! This soon after a big storm we're all in the road together, and my eyes are tired from all the driver stare-downs I had to do en route to work this morning.
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Emily Blake @blakeemily.bsky.social · 05/02/2025
A social and environmental justice coalition is hoping the NWT government will consider its proposal for a basic income guarantee program. cabinradio.ca/220845/news/...
cabinradio.ca
Alternatives North releases basic income guarantee proposal
Alternatives North released a report outlining how a basic income guarantee could be delivered in the NWT. The group said doing so would help eliminate poverty.
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 03/02/2025
I've spent a good part of my day (like many of us) thinking, reading, and talking about tariffs - specifically, what they will mean for food security and insecurity here in Newfoundland and Labrador. Thread ahead on what the impact will likely be and what the response should look like. (1/12)
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 03/02/2025
Back on the airwaves at around 5:05 to talk tariffs and food security on CBC's On the Go. Definitely the focus of our thinking at @foodfirstnl.ca today.
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 03/02/2025
Heading into the VOCM studio this morning to give some @foodfirstnl.ca perspective on the impacts of the trade war on our Food systems (spoiler alert: it's bad). On air around 8:10 this morning.
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 29/01/2025
Big room full of friendly faces at the NL Federation of Agriculture Symposium in St. John's. Lots of energy, staring down some big changes. Excited to be into this gathering for the next few days.
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
Really nice look at what food security programs look like when they're built by northerners, for northerners. @foodfirstnl.ca had a chance to bring Joseph Murdoch-Flowers from Qajukturvik over to Labrador last year to work with folks there, and it was super-inspiring.
cbc.ca
How Indigenous northerners are using traditional harvesting to fight food insecurity | CBC News
Northern food sovereignty advocates say food insecurity in the region is not caused by a lack of food, but by systemic problems like over-reliance on imported foods.
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 17/01/2025
Small @foodfirstnl.ca website update with some fun implications. We finally have a "Get Involved" page, and that links to a really exciting new thing: a new fund for Indigenous students doing work on food systems that we're partners on. Looking forward to seeing the work! (1/4)
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Food First NL @foodfirstnl.ca · 11/12/2024
Dropped the ball for Human Rights Day on Bluesky (my bad) but here are a few of our belated thoughts: Canada helped to create the Universal Declaration of Human Rights back in 1948. In doing so, they agreed that food is a basic human right. Now (76 years later), 1 in 4 Canadians are food insecure.
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 10/12/2024
New bus route just dropped! Express connector along the Parkway from Village Mall to Avalon Mall to MUN. Starts January 6! www.metrobusmobile.com/v3/schedules...
metrobusmobile.com
m-Mobile
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Mark Finch @mfinch.bsky.social · 10/12/2024
This isn't the kind of headline that gets a lot of attention, but it is some important legislative moves towards more affordable housing. Changes to NL's planning act that explicitly enable inclusionary zoning and community benefit agreements. (1/2) www.gov.nl.ca/releases/202....
gov.nl.ca
Provincial Government Introduces Amendments to Urban and Rural Planning Act, 2000 and City of St. John’s Municipal Taxation Act  - News Releases
The Honourable John Haggie, Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs, introduced proposed amendments to the Urban and Rural Planning Act, 2000 and City of St. John’s Municipal Taxation Act in the ...
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Food First NL @foodfirstnl.ca · 04/12/2024
December is filled with calls for generosity and this year feels even moreso. Food banks are regulalry breaking visitation records and they need donations. Yet we know that food charity can't solve food insecurity. We need income-based solutions if we want to make a difference. So what can we do?
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 03/12/2024
This Giving Tuesday has actually launched some really thoughtful public conversations about how to support charities while also pushing for the policy changes that would end the need for them. I was glad to be able to be a part of three media conversations about this today (1/4)
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 03/12/2024
A design hill that I will die on is that first come, first served registration for community programs should be destroyed. Open registration for a while, then do a lottery to hand out the spots. The current system prioritizes people like me, who can log in at a specific time with a fast connection.
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
The kiddos on the walk to school enjoyed having to slide down Garrison Hill on their butts, the adults less so. Stay safe out there in St. John's, it's a black ice festival until the sun melts things a bit more!
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
Just had the best morning with our @foodfirstnl.ca crew doing our annual debrief and brainstorm about the Western NL Food Hub. So proud of that project. If you live anywhere between Gros Morne and Stephenville you should 100% check this out. (1/7) www.nlfoodhub.ca
nlfoodhub.ca
Western NL Food Hub
The Western NL Food Hub is a one-stop shop connecting customers and local food producers in Western Newfoundland through online ordering.
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
Big day in boards for me! Our board at @foodfirstnl.ca has a new Chair (congrats @andremyers.bsky.social!) and some amazing new board members, and I just got home from my last AGM as Chair at the Tuckamore Festival, which is near and dear to my heart. Not bad for one Wednesday!
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
Tonight in Tactical Errors at bedtime with the 6-year-old: 1) Introducing the "You may take our lives, but you may never take...our freedom!" speech from Braveheart. 2) Agreeing to a 3-round wrestling bout before bath time. Learned that kiddo's wrestling name is "Watermelon Sugar, AAARGH"
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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
One reason why Canadians feel bad about the economy right now: Food prices have still increased faster than wages. Story from @rtkwrites.bsky.social www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 24/11/2024
Kicking off the third and final day of Dig In 2.0. It's been a remarkable couple of days that really reinforces how much Atlantic Canada is leading the way on food systems work right now.
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Josh Smee @joshsmee.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
Kicking off Dig In 2.0 - the second Atlantic Canada Food Systems Summit - in Charlottetown with a great visit to the Legacy Garden and the always thought-provoking Paul Taylor. Going to be a great 3 days!
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