Moss Street Market Faces Challenges Amid Custodian Shortages

The Moss Street Market in Victoria, British Columbia, is experiencing significant disruptions due to a lack of custodians. This long-established farmers’ market, which has operated for nearly a decade, faces closures that have left vendors with surplus goods and uncertainty about future operations.

According to Kelsey Moore, spokesperson for the Greater Victoria School District (SD61), custodians are required to be present during community use of district-owned facilities to ensure safety and security. The district notified the market’s executive director, Kyle Goulet, that custodians would not be available for five specific dates: December 20, December 27, January 3, March 21, and March 28. This marks the first interruption in the market’s operations since its inception.

“This is impacting the local supply chain of food,” Goulet stated, emphasizing the market’s role as a vital food source for the community. The cancellations particularly affect local farmers like Mike Romaine from Healing Farm, a certified organic operation on the Saanich Peninsula. Romaine expressed concern over the financial impact of missing sales opportunities for his products, including apple pies, pear juice, fresh produce, and organic eggs. “Egg production continues to come, so what do you do with the surplus eggs?” he asked.

Romaine fears that these interruptions could threaten the community atmosphere that the market has fostered over the past three decades. “Surely you can find a way around this,” he remarked, advocating for a more collaborative approach.

Goulet has been seeking a resolution but claims that communication with SD61 has been unproductive. “We’re looking for solutions but we’re not really getting an audience with the decision makers,” he said. “We haven’t even had a discussion on what those solutions may be; we’ve just been told ‘no’.” He added, “Our whole point of being is helping the community, and we’re just looking for that same spirit from School District 61.”

In response to inquiries from CHEK News, SD61 reported that a custodian has been found for the market on December 20. The school district also announced plans to move the March market dates outdoors to maintain continuity for vendors and customers. However, SD61 did not address whether the market could arrange for its own custodians when district employees are unavailable.

The situation at the Moss Street Market highlights the challenges local vendors face in maintaining their businesses while relying on external support. As discussions continue, the market’s future remains uncertain, impacting both vendors and the community at large.