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

Kitchener — Ward 9

1 candidate responded

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All topics Housing Getting Around Climate Food Growth & Planning Budget & Taxes
Debbie Chapman See responses
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. Develop a local food strategy, including research on how land-use change affects the food system
  2. Promote and support low-barrier spaces for local producers to distribute and sell food
  3. Encourage and support local landowners to rent to newcomer farmers
  4. Partner with other levels of government to develop local food hubs that reduce costs and barriers for small businesses
  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 the development of community buying clubs or municipal grocery stores
  • 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 support more community gardens and winterized community greenhouses. We need to think food sovereignty and not just food security. Because the growing season is so short, the installation of winterized greenhouses would serve the community well. Geothermal would power the greenhouses. I also support organizations like Bailey's Local Foods and the Kitchener Market both of which support local food producers. We need to support local farmers and preserve farmland to meet the needs of residents across the Region.

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On the ballot but have not responded to survey (2)

  • Mohamed Askalany
  • Tim Willcox

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