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

Steven Haase

City/Township Council · Woolwich Ward 2

Back to candidates
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
  1. Promote and support low-barrier spaces for local producers to distribute and sell food
  2. Develop a local food strategy, including research on how land-use change affects the food system
  3. Partner with other levels of government to develop local food hubs that reduce costs and barriers for small businesses
  4. Encourage and support local landowners to rent to newcomer farmers
  5. 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
  • 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

There's public land along the Conestogo River in St. Jacobs that could work well for a community garden. We already have a butterfly garden in an old canoe down there, and a spot could be used for seasonal food gardens. The township could work with the Grand River Conservation Authority and local volunteers to provide water access and basic support, and leave the planning and running of the garden to the community. The cost would be small. Families without a yard would have a place to grow food, part of the harvest could go to local families through Woolwich Community Services, and neighbours would have another reason to spend time by the river.