MultiCaf's Mobile Solidarity Market: Fresh Fruits and Vegetables All Around Côte-des-Neiges

Starting June 5, MultiCaf’s Mobile Solidarity Market is back for a new season, running until August 30. Every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, our truck filled with fresh produce sets up in different parts of the neighbourhood to meet residents where they are.

But this isn’t just a market — it’s a community-driven, solidarity-based initiative that aims to make healthy food more accessible, especially in areas where options are limited: what we call food deserts.

What’s a food desert?

A food desert is an urban or rural area where residents have limited access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food due to a lack of nearby grocery stores or reliable transportation. These areas often impact low-income communities and can contribute to poor nutrition and health problems.

According to the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ), food deserts “can lead to increased dependence on processed, less nutritious foods sold at convenience stores or fast food chains.”

A Market for Everyone, in the Heart of the Community

The Mobile Solidarity Market offers a friendly atmosphere, local products, and prices adapted to the realities of the community.

This year, we’re introducing something new: the Member Rate.

Starting June 19, eligible residents can register to receive a reduced rate:

• On Tuesdays at MultiCaf

• Or directly at the market on Thursdays, Fridays, or Saturdays

To sign up, bring:

• A piece of ID

• Proof of address

• Proof of income

  
  

This rate is designed to offer extra support to lower-income residents while maintaining a respectful, dignified, and simple approach.

A Fair Price for All

Not eligible for the member rate? No problem. The regular price remains accessible to all — a fair, solidarity-based rate that only covers our basic costs, supports local producers, and ensures high product quality. No registration required.

Locally Grown, Right Here in Côte-des-Neiges

During the summer, you’ll also find ultra-local produce grown right here in the neighbourhood — either at our Les Bonnets Bleus micro-farm, located at the former Hippodrome site, or on our rooftop garden above the Côte-des-Neiges library.

Last year, about 30% of our market produce came from our own local production. This year, in our second season of intensive farming, we aim to reach 50%.

Our long-term dream? To supply the Mobile Solidarity Market entirely with our own crops — 100% local, year after year.Each season brings us closer to that sustainable, collective goal.

Pourquoi un nouveau nom ?

Peut-être l’avez-vous connu sous le nom de Marché nomade. Aujourd’hui, nous l’appelons Marché Solidaire Mobile pour mieux refléter ce qu’il est devenu : un service enraciné dans la communauté, guidé par la solidarité, et axé sur l’accessibilité alimentaire.Un petit changement de nom, pour une grande mission.

Why the New Name?

You might have known us as the Nomadic Market. Today, we call it the Mobile Solidarity Market to better reflect what it has become: a deeply rooted community service, driven by solidarity and focused on food accessibility.A small name change — for a big mission.

Where to Find Us

We stop at key locations across Côte-des-Neiges, often in areas where access to grocery stores is limited or where mobility is a challenge.

👉 For full schedule and stop locations:🔗 www.multicaf.org/marchésolidairemobile

In Summary

The Mobile Solidarity Market offers:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables at affordable prices

• A presence in the heart of the community

• Support for local food production

• A fair, non-profit economic model

• A concrete step toward local food autonomy

• And above all, greater access to healthy food for all

  
  

Come see us this summer — whether to shop, ask questions, or simply chat with our team.

Because a nourished neighbourhood is a neighbourhood that grows together. 🌱