City/Region Roles in Food Policy

June 9, 2015

Urban Food and Agriculture Policy: Global Initiatives

•UN Sustainable Development Goals

•City Region Food Systems: Sustainable Food Systems and Urbanization

•Milan Food Policy Pact

•City Region Food Policy and Practice Network

Urban Food and Agriculture Policy: Global Objectives

•Realize equitable (physical and economic) access for all citizens to safe, healthy, affordable, culturally appropriate food and reduce hunger and dependency on emergency food/charity

•Secure adequate nutrition and public health, especially for people at risk of (under or over) malnutrition and related health problems

•Promote (sustainable) food production, processing and distribution within the city region in order to stimulate the local/regional economy and enhance urban food security

•Optimize the contributions of the city region food system to urban environmental sustainability, diversity and resilience

A POWERFUL TOOL FOR BUILDING

HEALTHY VIBRANT COMMUNITIES

A POWERFUL TOOL FOR BUILDING

HEALTHY VIBRANT COMMUNITIES

Municipalities are acting on complex food issues...Their efforts are not designed to feed the city, but rather to shift system dynamics to promote a wide range of improvements. (MacRae and Donahue 2013).

Chronology of food policy devm’t in Canada

Overarching strategies used in municipal/regional food policy work

Create spaces for a full range of actors to discuss complex problems and solutions Design interventions that have strong possibilities of success

Leverage resources across systems to drive implementation

FRAMING | BROKERING | LEVERAGING

AGRICULTURE to ACCESSCommon food policy initiativesAgricultural and/or food and farming assessmentlocal producers/business surveyAlternative Land Use ServicesFeasibility study of aggregation and distributionFood hubCommunity shared agriculture (CSA)New farmer trainingFood and farm events and festivalsFood tourismFood box programCommunity garden Local produce auctions

Incubator kitchensBusiness planning and retention strategy for food businessLocal food mapFarmers marketGood food marketsFarm/local food coopDesignated “local” section in grocery storesCommunity Food Centre School food and food literacy projectsLocal food cooking seriesYouth initiativesOfficial Plan reviewFood strategy or action plan

Toronto’s food policy history

The TFPC was started in 1991 by City Council to:

Advise and support Toronto Public Health and City Council in the development of food security policies and programs.

Advocate for innovative community food security programs.

Foster dialogue with Toronto Public Health, community groups, social agencies, educational institutions and businesses.

Act as the community reference group for the Toronto Food Strategy.

Food & Hunger Action Committee (1999-2003)

Toronto Food Charter (2001)

Toronto’s food policy history

Toronto Food Strategy

(2010)

Ottawa Charter (1986)

(1991)

Broader policy context

FarmStart

Toronto Food Strategy

Spearheaded by Toronto Public Health in 2008 to:

Help align City of Toronto’s policies, bylaws, etc. with goals of a healthy, sustainable food system

Support residents & community organizatons in food solutions they want to implement in their neighbourhoods

Food Strategy Initiatives

Planning/Action for a Sustainable Food System

Planning/Action for a Sustainable Food System

Access to Healthy Food Urban AgricultureRegional Food System Planning

ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD

= Low Income & no supermarket within 1km walking/driving distance

Mapping a Food Environment Index

1km radius - street network

“Healthfulness” of Food Retail & Low Income

Lotherton Pathway, Toronto Closest discount grocery 2.5km

Food Access in Toronto

The problem is NOT:• Lack of big supermarkets (“food deserts”)• Big food retailers ignoring prime locations in lower

income neighbourhoods • Insufficient food production/ importation

The problem IS:

• Insufficient income• No support for small/mid-scale food sector to compete• Residential communities not planned with food access in

mind

Food Policy Research Initiative

MOBILE GOOD FOOD MARKET

HEALTHY CORNER STORES

URBAN AGRICULTURE

LOCALLY GROWN WORLD CROPS

COMMUNITY GARDENING

ENTREPRENEURIAL AGRICULTURE

$2.2 million food expenditure across 3 City Divisions

LOCAL FOOD PROCUREMENT

FOOD REACH: COMMUNITY FOOD SECTOR PROCUREMENT

The Stop Community Food Centre

$50 million food expenditure across hundreds of organizations, schools and agencies

STUDENT NUTRITION

Toronto Partners for Student Nutrition

600 + programs149,000 Toronto studentsUnique governance and funding modelSignificant and increasing investments by the City of Toronto 2012 base funding = $3,819,5802013 increase = $1,257,416 2014 increase = $1,289,116 proposed 2015 increase = $1,127,711 proposed 2016 increase = $1,189644 proposed 2017 increase = $1,254,279 For a total $9,937,746 at the end of five years

REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM

PLANNING

STAFF WORKING GROUP

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Toronto Partners for Student Nutrition

REGIONAL PROMOTION

Toronto Partners for Student Nutrition

AGRI-FOOD ASSET MAPPING

Toronto Partners for Student Nutrition

Toronto Partners for Student Nutrition

AGRICULTURAL PROFILES

Toronto Partners for Student Nutrition

Ladders and Linkages

Across scales, sectors and jurisdictions

Up and into policy/decision making processes

Creation of new food systems governance models

Capacity building for accelerated impact

Contact

Lauren BakerToronto Food Policy CouncilToronto Food StrategyCity of Toronto, Public Healthlbaker2@toronto.ca

www.tfpc.toTwitter @TOfoodpolicyFacebook: Friends of Toronto Food Policy Council