Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable connecting our community to the work of building a healthy...

Waterloo Region Food System Waterloo Region Food System RoundtableRoundtable

connecting our community to the work of building a

healthy food system

Waterloo Region Food System Waterloo Region Food System RoundtableRoundtable

•2005 – Healthy Community Food System Plan

•2007 – Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable was formed

•2009 – Region of Waterloo Official Plan (ROP)

•2011/2012 – Municipal Official Plans

•2013– Food charter

Planning Food-Friendly Municipalities

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Planning Food-Friendly Planning Food-Friendly MunicipalitiesMunicipalities

• What are food-friendly municipalities?• Why should municipalities plan for vibrant food-

friendly spaces in our communities?• How can municipalities support the creation of

vibrant food-friendly spaces in our communities? • What are the supportive policies in Waterloo

Region• Recommendations

What are Food-Friendly What are Food-Friendly MunicipalitiesMunicipalities


Healthy Visible Accessible


Why Plan for Food?


Policy InfluencesMunicipal Land Use Policies

Policy InfluencesLicensing Regulations

Policy InfluencesCommunity Garden Policies, Local Food Strategies

Policy InfluencesZoning By-laws and regulations

Planning Food-Friendly Municipalities: Temporary

Farmers’ Markets Reduce “food swamps” Increase walkable and

transit-friendly access to healthy, local foods

Create socially vibrant and inclusive spaces

Build food skills


Healthy People

•Reduce impact of “food swamps” (too

much junk food)

•Increase walkable and transit-friendly

access to healthy local foods

•Create socially vibrant and inclusive spaces

•Build food skills (seasonal availability)

Planning Food-Friendly Municipalities: Temporary

Farmers’ Markers

Strengthen the local food system

Provide direct income for farmers

Help start new food businesses

Revitalize local retail areas

Keep money in local economy


Healthy Local Economy

•Strengthen local food systems

•Provide direct income for local farmers

•Help start new food businesses

•Revitalize local retail areas

•Keep money in our local economy


Policy InfluencesLand Use Policies

Current Policies Current Policies Temporary Farmers MarketsTemporary Farmers Markets

Land Use Policies (ROP)

• The region directs area municipalities to ensure development facilitates residents’ access to locally grown and other healthy foods in neighbourhoods. [2.D.1 (g)]

• The region directs area municipalities to permit temporary farmers’ markets, in existing and newly planned neighbourhoods [3.F.2]

Municipal Land Use Policies Municipal Land Use Policies Temporary Farmers MarketsTemporary Farmers Markets

City of Waterloo OP City of Kitchener OP City of Cambridge OP

10.1.4 – 10.4 …may be zoned to permit the following complementary uses

- Community uses (includes temporary farmers markets in definition)

3.2 1.The City will support the integration of non-residential land uses….at appropriate locations in the residential land use designations* …Such uses may include:n) temporary farmer’s markets

8.1.2 Certain land uses are permitted within all land use designations in the city, … The uses generally permitted in all land use designations are:

f) temporary farmers’ markets


Policy InfluencesZoning By-laws and Regulations

Zoning By-lawsZoning By-lawsTemporary Farmers’ MarketsTemporary Farmers’ Markets

• Currently permitted in commercial zones that permit ‘retail uses’

• Challenges– Zoning By-laws have not been updated yet to

reflect the revised Official Plan policies– Community centres may not zoned for retail use– Retail use in an enclosed space

Zoning By-lawsZoning By-lawsTemporary Farmers’ MarketsTemporary Farmers’ Markets

Opportunities•Include as a ‘special use’ permitted in all zones (e.g. Wellesley Township)•Include as an approved retail use in all zones (e.g. Vancouver)•Include as a use permitted in all zones (e.g. Cambridge)


Policy InfluencesLicensing Regulations

Municipal LicensingMunicipal LicensingMunicipality Licence Fee

Kitchener Farm Vendor LicenseTemporary Retail Market License

$148$496 (3 days)

Waterloo Outdoor Vending License $250 + business license ($300)

Cambridge Outdoor Vendor Permit $60 + business license ($60)

Woolwich Business Licensing By-lawOutdoor food vendors

$265

Wellesley No license required

Wilmot Refreshment vehicle / cartSite specific daily use

North Dumfries Vendor By-law No fee

Current Policies Current Policies Temporary Farmers MarketsTemporary Farmers Markets

Challenges•Kitchener – farmer, market gardener or other person selling local, in-season produce of his/her own farm or garden at his/her own property •Waterloo and Cambridge – cannot operate within 100m of a school•North Dumfries – no outdoor vendors•Fees can be restrictive


Recommendations for Temporary Markets1. Include temporary farmers’ markets in all land use zones

in updated Zoning By-laws2. Include temporary markets in the definition of retail

uses, or a separate definition for temporary farmers’ markets

3. Include exemption in licensing fees for neighbourhood markets/good food markets

4. Support temporary farmers’ markets by creating a toolkit for local groups

Planning Food-Friendly Municipalities: Community

Gardens Build community and

improve social inclusion Increase food skills Support food sovereignty Increase access to healthy

foods Provide opportunities for

physical activity


Healthy People• Build community and improve social inclusion• Increase food skills• Support food sovereignty• Increase access to healthy food• Provide opportunities for physical activity


Support biodiversity Support green

infrastructure Recycle organic wastes Reduce carbon

footprint


Healthy Environment

•Support and increase biodiversity •Support green infrastructure•Recycle organic wastes back into soil•Reduce carbon footprint



Policy InfluencesCommunity Garden Policies, Local Food Strategies

Policy InfluencesZoning By-laws and regulations

Current Policies Current Policies Community GardensCommunity Gardens

Regional Official Plan (ROP)

• The region directs area municipalities to establish policies in their official plans that encourage community gardens and rooftop gardens. [3.F.3]

• The Region will support community gardens, by granting access to Regional lands, and by providing rain barrels, composting bins, compost, wood mulch, in kind supports [3.F.4]

Municipal Land Use PoliciesMunicipal Land Use PoliciesCommunity GardensCommunity Gardens

City of Waterloo City of Kitchener City of Cambridge

3.9.2 (2) (f) The City will plan for neighbourhoods that ….promote healthy lifestyles by….planning for community gardens, where appropriate.

8.7.4 (3) The City will support community gardens through a) promoting the awareness of community gardening; b) offering City-owned lands as new community garden sites

10.1 – 10.4 May be zoned to permit the following uses…Community gardens

The City will support the creation of community gardens and other compatible forms of urban agriculture, where appropriate, and in accordance with the other policies in this Plan. (pg 38)

3.1.3 Community gardens and other compatible forms of urban agriculture may be permitted in all residential areas (3.1.3)

8.1.2 Certain land uses are permitted within all land use designations in the city… The uses generally permitted in all land use designations are:e) agricultural uses including community gardens but excluding livestock operations;


Policy InfluencesZoning By-laws and Regulations

Opportunities •Green Zones that support horticultural uses (e.g. Waterloo)•‘Landscaped open space’ requirements

– Include ‘cultivated gardens’ in definition of landscaped open space (e.g. Edmonton)

Current Zoning By-laws and Current Zoning By-laws and RegulationsRegulations


Opportunities•Included in new developments

– amend the Development Code to require space for on-site community gardens in new residential developments of 10 units or greater (e.g. Marin County)

•Provide density bonusing– Amend bylaws to allow density bonusing for inclusion

of community gardens in new residential developments (e.g Langford, BC)


Opportunities•Permitted use in all land use zones

– Cambridge – Section 2.1.1. ‘uses permitted in all land use zones’– Ottawa - includes community gardens as a permitted use in all land

use zones– Owen Sound - zoning shall not limit the placement of a community

garden– Mississauga - Uses Permitted in More than One Zone.– Winnipeg - park related use permitted in all agricultural and

residential zones; most commercial, industrial, employment zones– Langford - a permitted use in all commercial and residential zones and

in public places


Policy InfluencesCommunity Garden Policy

Community Garden PoliciesCommunity Garden PoliciesCity of Kitchener (2009) City of Cambridge (2011)

…Will facilitate and support community gardens in the following ways:-Assist community groups in finding suitable sites (under-utilized public and private lands, parklands, community centres, schoolyards, boulevards, and cul-de-sac bulbs)-Encourage developers to make available suitable land for community gardens-Set up a land trust-Establish a small fund

…Will encourage and support the development of community gardens-City-owned and designated as open space-accessible to pedestrians and persons requiring the use of mobility devices-no conflict of uses-in a location that is visible for surveillance purposes.-suitable parking -suitable soil conditions-a minimum of 100m from the nearest residential building

Community Garden PoliciesCommunity Garden Policies

Waterloo – Partners in Parks•“Planting and maintaining a community vegetable garden on passive parkland within your neighbourhood in Waterloo is one option through the Partners in Parks Program. Two Community Garden Representatives with City Staff assistance, may plan, install and maintain a community vegetable garden within their neighbourhood park for a five-year renewable term, as agreed upon by the City of Waterloo. A minimum of five to ten gardeners must be committed to participate and make the garden a success.”

Challenges and Opportunities •setting targets for increasing garden sites or creating a garden in every neighbourhood

• a garden in every ward (Toronto)• identify suitable locations for community gardens (e.g. one

per neighbourhood) especially in higher density neighbourhoods (Langford, BC)

• support the establishment of one community garden for each neighbourhood (Saanich, BC)

• create one community garden site for every 2,000 households (Madison, WI)



Challenges and Opportunities•creating an inventory or system of identifying city-owned lands available for garden sites

• Priority use of surplus land (Ottawa)• Inventory of municipal, other government lands

(Langford, BC)

•providing for allotment gardens as part of the strategy


Challenges and Opportunities•identifying the city’s role in encouraging private businesses and landowners to provide space for community gardens

• Economic incentives• School Boards• Partnerships and lease agreements


Further community garden supports: •providing an official endorsement of community gardens•creating a community garden action plan•creating a community garden or urban agriculture strategy•providing community garden support staff


Recommendations for Community Gardens1.Official endorsement of community gardens2.Raise profile of community gardens on websites3.Ensure community gardens are included in all land use zones4.Expand community garden policies and supports

– include targets for increasing gardens– identify lands for garden sites– create allotment gardens

5.Create a community garden strategy

QuestionsQuestions

Waterloo Region Food System Roundtablewww.wrfoodsystem.ca

http://www.wrfoodsystem.ca/

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