Rich Peers
City/Township Council · Kitchener Ward 5
Back to candidatesFood 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
No responseHow 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
- 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
- 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 expanding community gardens on suitable publicly owned land, particularly in neighbourhoods where residents have limited access to fresh, locally grown food. The City could provide basic infrastructure such as water access and garden plots while partnering with community groups to operate them. This would be a relatively low-cost way to support local food production, build community connections, and make better use of available public land.