David Guerin

City/Township Council · Cambridge Ward 7

All topics Housing Getting Around Climate Food Growth & Planning Budget & Taxes

Food Systems & Security

In the context of growing pressure for economic development and the connected loss of farmland, what role do municipalities and the Region hold in promoting local food livelihoods, production, and processing?ranked from highest to lowest importance

Develop a local food strategy, including research on how land-use change affects the food system
Promote and support low-barrier spaces for local producers to distribute and sell food
Partner with other levels of government to develop local food hubs that reduce costs and barriers for small businesses
Encourage and support local landowners to rent to newcomer farmers
Leave local food livelihoods to the private market

How should municipalities and the Region approach food insecurity and affordability?select up to 3 per part

A. Access to food

Partner with local charities, non-profits, and other organizations to strengthen access to food and redistribution of surplus food and produce for low-income residents
Support local food procurement for school food programs, including processing/preparation infrastructure, food literacy, and youth learning opportunities
Support programs to prepare food for those who are unhoused or unable to cook

B. Access to land for growing food

Make public lands (Regional and municipal) available for sustenance food provisioning, including in urban and peri-urban spaces as cities expand
Enable access to land and resources for local people who want to grow their own food (e.g. the community-garden model)
Encourage and support private landowners to make lots available for food provisioning

Please describe one concrete policy, program, or decision you would support to strengthen the local food system.candidate's own words

I would support creating or expanding low-barrier opportunities for local farmers and food producers to sell directly to residents, including partnerships around farmers’ markets, community food hubs and shared processing or distribution space. The municipal role should be to remove unnecessary barriers, help connect producers with suitable space and infrastructure, and work with other levels of government, non-profits and educational institutions where larger investments are required. That strengthens the local food economy, gives small producers better access to customers and can improve food access without requiring the municipality to become a food retailer itself.

Would you like to provide any additional context for your views on food systems?candidate's own words

I think food policy is strongest when it connects affordability, local economic development and land-use planning. Municipalities and the Region cannot solve food insecurity on their own, because household income and many social supports are largely provincial and federal responsibilities. But local governments can still make a meaningful difference by supporting community organizations, reducing barriers for local producers, protecting viable agricultural land and making appropriate public spaces available for community growing or food distribution. I also think we should be careful not to create expensive municipal programs where strong community or private-sector partners already exist. The most effective role for local government is often to enable, coordinate and remove barriers so that local farmers, non-profits and food businesses can do more of what they already do well.

Other priority not listed abovecandidate's own words

Protect viable agricultural land and the infrastructure that supports local food production, while ensuring land-use decisions balance food security with legitimate housing and economic development needs.