Local health, environmental and food organizations from across Lanark, Leeds and Grenville are urging municipal election candidates to include food security in their platforms.
The group says with the increase in food costs, supply chain issues, and threats of climate change, food is top of mind for many, and should be front and centre in the municipal election.
Among those included is The Table. Executive Director Ramsey Hart acted after seeing the low turnout in the provincial election.
Hart says, “Municipalities are our most immediate and accessible level of government and they can do a lot to support a more just and sustainable food system.”
He adds, “We need candidates that recognize this and we need more citizens to get involved to push for change.”
The group notes that areas of municipal influence over food security include: zoning to protect farmland, financial and in-kind support for local food projects like community gardens, and ensuring bylaws to allow diverse uses of front or back yards for food production.
They support marketing of local producers, creating zoning and bylaws for food processing, and working with anti-poverty coalitions.
They note the public can play an important role in asking candidates about what they would do to improve local food security.
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