Victoria Richardson
City/Township Council · Waterloo 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
- Leave local food livelihoods to the private market
- Encourage and support local landowners to rent to newcomer farmers
- Promote and support low-barrier spaces for local producers to distribute and sell food
- 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
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 local food procurement for school food programs, including processing/preparation infrastructure, food literacy, and youth learning opportunities
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
Increase access to community garden plots and run a youth growing program alongside