Tammy Gaudun Gies
City/Township Council · Wilmot Ward 3
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
- 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 initiatives that connect Wilmot’s agricultural community with local food security, creating opportunities for locally produced food to reach families who need it while supporting our local farmers and economy.
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)
- Protect and support Wilmot’s agricultural land as our primary local food-producing resource, while creating appropriate opportunities for community gardens and small-scale food growing where they make sense.
Would you like to provide any additional context for your views on food systems?candidate's own words
I would support developing a local food and agricultural land strategy that identifies and protects the farmland, water resources and agricultural infrastructure that are critical to Wilmot’s long-term food system. As development pressure increases, we should understand the impact of land-use decisions on our ability to grow and produce food before that land is lost. I would also look for practical ways to support local farmers in getting their products to local schools, institutions, markets and families.