Open Food Network Canada

It’s Time

It’s time for an open, global platform cooperative to sell & distribute sustainable food!

OFN Canada is the Canadian ‘node’ in a global network of organizations working to turn the food system on its head and put greater control in the hands of sustainable food farmers, purveyors and eaters. Using this open source platform as a starting point, we are a registered not-for-profit working to connect, enable, and ignite Canada’s local, green, healthy and fair food initiatives, connect them to eaters, and contribute to a global food commons that connects such initiatives around the world.

OFN-CAN is now ‘open for business’!!

In 2017 we worked with a set of legacy farms and food hubs on a feasibilty study. We learned about new features that Canadian users are after. With support from Libro Credit Union and the Greenbelt Fund, we are currently adding those features to the platform. We also secured the support of the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems to help us throughout or preliminary launch phase.

We need your help!

You can help in different ways.

Spread the word! Share the platform with farms, CSAs, food hubs, stores, on-line markets…. that you think might be interested. The faster we can on-board enterprises, the faster we can link them together into local sustainable food networks!
Volunteer with us! We are currently building a team with skills to help:
- on-board and train new uers
- develop and implement a social media strategy
- link with and help our Ruby on Rails development team globally
- attend regional food-related conferences, meetings and trade shows on our behalf
Volunteer to launch OFN in your region/province – Our team is Ontario based right now, but we imagine volunteer teams across the country. Maybe your food/farming network, organization or hub is interested in helping launch in your area?

How much does it cost?

In Canada OFN is free to experiment with for 3 months (and if you need longer just let us know.)

After that we ask for 2% of sales to help maintain and enhance the codebase. But you only pay if your turnover is over $500/month. AND we cap fees at $100/month, so that is the most you would ever pay. (Note – if you choose to take payment using Paypal, Stripe…, then their fees are in addition.).

No charge for having a profile & map listing
No charge if you sell less than $500 in any given month
No one is excluded. We offer ‘pay what you can’ options if things get tight for you.
Fees include ALL features and future updates.
Fees include support: an on-line user guide, on-line discussion group, email & phone help

How do I try it out?

Just select ‘register’ on our homepage – and follow the steps. Once you are registered you can:

Make a free on-line profile and tell your story.
Set up an on-line shop to sell on-line. You can use our platform, or embed your shopfront into your own website if you prefer.
Set up a food hub, store or on-line market to manage inventories and sell products from multiple producers/suppliers.

Can you help me get started?

Of course! There is a great user guide on-line. Follow the steps and email us if you need help.

Or if you prefer, we offer a ‘set up’ service. We will set up your profile, add your products, set up your shop, test it, and train you to take over. And, we’ll hold your hand as long as you need us.