Joe Gowing

Regional Council · Region of Waterloo

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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
Partner with other levels of government to develop local food hubs that reduce costs and barriers for small businesses
Promote and support low-barrier spaces for local producers to distribute and sell food
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 an inventory of suitable, underused public land and piloting at least one new community-growing site in partnership with an experienced non-profit organization. The pilot should include soil testing, water access, accessible garden beds and opportunities to distribute surplus produce through local food-assistance organizations. I favour beginning with a measurable pilot, similar to the approach I advanced for residential greywater and rainwater reuse. We should track participation, the amount of food produced and distributed, operating costs and community benefits before expanding the program.

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

Food insecurity is largely an income and affordability problem. Municipal programs cannot replace adequate provincial and federal income supports, but the Region can help coordinate community organizations, make better use of public assets and remove barriers facing local producers and residents. During my term, Regional Council supported community environmental funding for projects that expand urban gardens and pay-what-you-can food markets. I have also worked to protect the resources on which our local food system depends. My motion requesting a pause on new and expanded private water-taking permits in the Mannheim Service Area received unanimous Council support, and I have consistently advocated for stronger groundwater monitoring, aquifer protection and safeguards for rural well owners. Protecting farmland means little if farms do not have dependable water, viable markets or opportunities for the next generation of producers. My approach is to protect those essential resources while supporting practical partnerships and programs with clear, publicly reported results.