Eryn Koncir

City/Township Council · Woolwich Ward 3

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

This candidate finalized their responses after this guide and scoring methodology was published.

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
Leave local food livelihoods to the private market
Encourage and support local landowners to rent to newcomer farmers

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

A. Access to food

Public access to food is primarily a provincial/federal and charitable-sector responsibility
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 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)
Leave food production to the rural agricultural sector and the private market

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

A concrete policy I would support is maintaining a strong Countryside Line and settlement boundary so productive agricultural land is protected from incremental urban expansion. Woolwich’s Official Plan already identifies protecting the Countryside for long-term agricultural use as part of strengthening the local food system, alongside supporting agricultural and farm-related uses, farmers’ markets, and community gardens. The Regional Official Plan makes the same connection, stating that the Countryside Line is intended to protect rural land for long-term agricultural use and support a strong regional food system. I would also support complementary measures that make it easier for local producers to reach consumers — such as temporary farmers’ markets or other low-barrier sales opportunities — but I see protecting the land base itself as foundational. Once productive farmland is converted to urban use, that capacity is very difficult to recover.