Davies Transportation Consulting Inc. was engaged by Metro Vancouver to conduct a “Food Flow” study that describes the movements of food commodities to and from within and through Metro Vancouver. Consulting team members included Philip Davies, Abra Brynne and Darryl Anderson. For purposes of this study, food flows include:
•Food products imported from offshore (via the Port of Vancouver or Vancouver International Airport) or the U.S. (via the Metro Vancouver land border crossings) for consumption in Metro Vancouver and the rest of B.C.;
•Food products imported from other provinces for consumption in Metro Vancouver, and food products imported from other provinces which are distributed to the rest of B.C. through Metro Vancouver;
•Food products imported from the rest of B.C. for consumption in Metro Vancouver;
•Food products which are produced in Metro Vancouver which are exported to the rest of B.C.;
•Food products produced and consumed within Metro Vancouver (intra-regional shipments);
•Food products which are exported to offshore destinations through the Port of Vancouver or Vancouver International Airport;
•Food products which are exported to the U.S. through the Lower Mainland border crossings;
•Food products which are either produced in Metro Vancouver or imported from offshore or the U.S. which are exported to other provinces.

A summary of estimated Metro Vancouver food flows by origin in 2018 is shown below. Total food flows are estimated at 33.7 million tonnes.