Many positive ideas and actions were identified through the community forum this year. In order to deepen our understanding of the issues, reach out to bring in more expertise and participation, and move some of these ideas and actions forward, we have chosen to hold a series of “working sessions” over the next year
Each of these working sessions stems from the cornerstone strategies for a Food and Health Action Plan identified in Phase One:
1. Build Collaborative work and policies towards greater regional food security
2. Maintain and expand food producing land, viability of farming and infrastructure
3. Increase urban food production
4. Continue to build access to healthy adequate diets for everyone
5. Increase knowledge about our local food system and growing and preparing healthy diets
6. Promote the development of Local Food Purchasing Policies for institutions
We agreed that it was not wholly a linear process; some working sessions are more general and in the vein of gathering more knowledge and fleshing out needs and opportunities, while other working sessions are more focused and action oriented, creating tools or model policies. The working sessions were chosen with the following lenses in mind:
· Where there was great need
· Where there was great opportunity for success (shorter term winnable)
· Where there was public interest and momentum
· Where there were perhaps long term policy effects at the Regional and Municipal level
· Where they would connect one or more of our three core focuses production, distribution and access
Each of the working sessions will be documented and their findings and recommendations for action will move forward to a first draft of a Regional Food and Health Action Plan. Through the process we also foresee the development of “model policies”, supportive networks, and tools being developed that will serve as practical results of the meetings and discussions. It is the role of CR-FAIR and CRD RTE-HCSC to encourage people in the community from diverse sectors and also with geographical representation within the CRD to participate in the sessions, as well as document and disseminate the findings.
There are over 50,000 people in Capital Region living in poverty and of these, 1 in 6 are children. Low income is the greatest contributing factor to household food insecurity. With ongoing challenges around affordable housing and achieving adequate incomes, how food secure are families and what are some of the ways that families and neighborhoods can increase their access to healthy diets?
Neighborhood Food Action Planning is a process that has been taking place at the community and neighborhood level in the Capital Region. Many neighborhoods, community associations, local governments, and health providers are interested in this approach to increasing access, and food resources in communities. A community forum is being planned to look at the process and experiences with the Tsarlip Nation and the Vic West to share stories on the food action planning processes, tools, successes and outcomes. Interested neighborhood groups, community organizations, local government, social support services, VIHA, health practitioners, School District, Neighborhood houses, Churches, and organizations that support emergency food distribution, fruit distribution, food buying clubs, community gardens, and markets will be invited to attend. It is the goal to provide some learnings that can be explored in specific neighborhoods and then to follow up to support these communities to carry out processes relevant to their own needs and assets. This session will be held in late January.
Please contact Kezia Cowtan, LifeCycles kcowtan@lifecyclesproject, 383-5800 for more information on this session.
It is critical to protect the land, a precious resource for growing our food. As important is the need to ensure the viability of farming and supporting the vitality of our local producers and processors. There are many threats to the land and economic viability of farming what can we do to ensure we have these important foundations for regional food security into the future?
In this area we have chosen to work on two key initiatives:
1. To work more closely with the Peninsula Agriculture Commission (PAC) to learn about the history of our independent work and how we might better collaborate. We will be participating in a brainstorming session on the “Ways of Enhancing Farm Viability” and identifying next steps to better educate local decision makers as well as look at possible pilot projects.
2. The Langford Policy on Agricultural Land: How is Langford moving forward to develop a strategy around the protection of its agricultural land? How can citizens provide input to this planning process, and how might their approach and proposed amenities fee be a model for other Municipalities?
Please contact info@communitycouncil.ca for more information on these sessions.
In purchasing local foods we support our local food and farm economy, create employment and have the potential to provide healthier food that has traveled a shorter distance. Local governments, schools, and institutions that purchase and provide large quantities of food have the potential to create multiple benefits through their purchasing choices.
This working session looks at local purchasing policies, what are the benefits? What are the barriers? What could a local purchasing policy look like? It will bring institutions, government representatives, private sector partners, farmers and processors together to discuss the potential for developing and implementing local procurement policies. Jane Sterk, Councilor for the Municipality of Esquimalt is leading this discussion. .
Please contact info@communitycouncil.ca for more information on this session
Having access to fresh fruits and vegetables as well as locally processed goods at the neighborhood level is of great benefit to a community. Neighborhood “pocket markets” are not only a way to provide these goods but also provide a business opportunity for local food and farm businesses. Communities are finding these small neighborhood markets to be a source of neighborhood revitalization and a venue for connecting community members. The development of a coop for food distribution to these pocket markets is a strategy in the making call Food Roots.
The purpose of this working session is to hear the story of the Vic West Pocket Market and its relationship to the Food Roots Distributors Coop. We will hear from local community members who shop there, farmers/processors who market there. Other communities that have started pocket markets and those who are interested would be invited to talk about barriers, opportunities and community benefits, and mechanics for expanding to other areas, possible policy changes required, support and awareness required.
Lee Fuge will be leading this session January 17, in conjunction with the Vic West Market in the Vic West YMCA between 3-7 pm. Please contact Lee Fuge at leefuge@pacificcoast.net for more information, and check out the article Vic West and Beyond: Opportunities for the Development of Pocket Markets in the Capital Regional District.
There is serious concern over the lack of, and loss of, infrastructure such as processing facilities, refrigeration, storage and transportation options to support farm operations and the food sector. The introduction of the Meat Industry Enhancement Strategy under the Food Safety Act will come into effect in September 2007. It will require substantial upgrades to processing facilities and many small processors and abattoirs are uncertain of their ability to continue under the new regulations. Processing and other infrastructure pieces are key elements in our agri-food system, if we lose them there are many detrimental ripple effects that are felt down the line.
We are currently working to define a working session that may be of use to dig deeper into determining what infrastructure we currently have in place. What is threatened? What is needed? What might be some steps to improve local infrastructure? One practical suggestion being considered is to look at how we can better coordinate as producers (for example poultry) in terms of transportation and/or processing to make processing more viable.
Urban Agriculture is a broad term that encompasses a wide range of activities involving the production, processing, and marketing food in urban and peri-urban areas. The ability to grow food in our cities has multiple benefits that include increasing access to food, creating economic activity, increasing social inclusion, and providing valuable environmental services to cities.
There are many opportunities for urban agriculture and there are also many barriers. The work set out on Urban Agriculture will be to begin to develop an Urban Agriculture Strategy for the City of Victoria as a pilot and model for other municipalities in the CRD. The purpose of the working session will be to discuss the elements of an Urban Agriculture Strategy and implementation plan, as well as to review a presentation and proposed policy statement.
For more information on this session and work on the Urban Agriculture Strategy please contact
Linda Geggie, LifeCycles Linda@gworks.ca, 383-5800
Time and time again we have heard the importance that people understand their food system and have ways of connecting with local farmers. This builds an understanding of the importance of supporting local agriculture. Other education and training programs are focused on eating and preparing foods for a healthier diet.
We are proposing a community mapping and networking forum of the many educational and training organizations (formal, informal, experiential, etc.) involved (such as CR-FAIR, School Programs, LifeCycles, COG VI, Haliburton Farm, Friendly Organics, SOIL, Agriculture in the Classroom, 4H clubs, Ministry of Health, VIHA, Canadian Cancer Agency, Heart and Stroke Foundation). The purpose would be to share information and highlight/map out available educational and training, resources around food, health, and agriculture. This would allow us to understand better the breadth of programs and resources available, identify overlaps, gaps and possibilities for closer coordination. Our plan is to hold this event in conjunction with our Celebration Forum planned for February. This will provide the potential to share displays, resources and information with the greater community.
Our goal for this process is to build understanding and capacity that will support creating greater food security and healthy communities in the Capital Region. We have undertaken a process to further develop collaboration and partnerships that will support this goal. More specifically we have chosen to build a vision embodied in a Regional Food Charter, develop a Regional Food and Health Action plan and look towards the development of a body that can inform and steward this planning over the long-term.
As we move forward in this process it is important to build broad ownership and involvement on all levels into the planning and activities. In order to do so we need to continue to seek advice, take time to reflect upon, and evaluate our work. The working sessions planned take a look at our work to date and evaluate the objectives and methodology, providing ideas and feedback for moving forward (in terms of Food Charter and Food and Health Action Plan and Food Policy Council concept). We hope to achieve a clearer plan that lays out what has happened, further work, changes required in terms of our implementation plan, what other partners we need to bring into the process as looking at how this work can be transferred to other areas in the region.
For more information on this session or any session above, please contact info@communitycouncil.ca