Healthy Communities Partnership - Renfrew County - Sustainable Food System

November 28, 2013

DU B FIT Consulting Nancy Dubois

dubfit@rogers.com519.446.3636

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Opening Remarks

• Purpose– To explore a potential Food System approach in

Renfrew County with a particular emphasis on population-based approaches.

– To determine next steps including the level of interest

• Facilitator

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Introductions – 5 P’s

• Purpose• Process• Paper• Place• People

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Introductions – 5 P’s

• Purpose

• Process– Overview of Agenda– Bicycle Rack

• Paper - Handouts• Place – washrooms, fire exits, food• People - introductions

Ontario’s Model Region –

Innovative & Co-ordinated

Approach to Building Healthy

Community for EveryoneCommunity Collaboration

5 Year Plan – Headline in 2015

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Food – The Big Picture

• Food System• Food (Policy) Councils / Coalitions

– Characteristics– Priorities / activities– Members

• Food Charters• Possible Steps for Renfrew County

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A healthy food system …

• is one in which all residents have access to, and can afford to buy, safe, nutritious, and culturally-acceptable food that has been produced in an environmentally sustainable way and that sustains our rural communities.

(Waterloo Region - http://www.wrfoodsystem.ca/priorities

)

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Description – Food (Policy) Council

• Bring together stakeholders from diverse food-related sectors to examine how the food system is operating and to develop ideas, actions and policy recommendations on how to improve it.

• Take many forms, but are typically either commissioned by governments, or are predominately a grassroots effort – may be a reincarnation or evolution of an another group

• Have been successful at educating officials and the public, shaping public policy, improving coordination between existing programs, and starting new programs

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Common Operating Characteristics

• Take a comprehensive approach• Pursue long-term strategies• Offer tangible solutions• Are place-based with a strong local component• Advocate on behalf of the larger community• Seek government buy-in• Establish formal membership• Operate with little or no funding

• Food Policy Council Briefing Paper - http://www.ncchpp.ca/148/publications.ccnpps?id_article=664

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Common Process

• Situational Assessment / Environmental Scan• Set priorities• Establish a plan of action for each priority

(long and short term)• Recruit the players

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Typical Activities of a Food Council (1)• Mapping and publicizing local food resources• Creating new transit routes to connect underserved

areas with full-service grocery stores• Persuading government agencies to purchase from

local farmers• Organizing community gardens and farmers’ markets• Advocate for policy change to improve a

community's food system• Develop programs that address gaps in a

community's food system

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Typical Activities of a Food Council (2)• Strategize solutions that have wide applicability

to the food system• Research and analyze the existing conditions of

a community's food system• Communicate information about a community's

food system• Cultivate partnerships among a community's

five food sectors• Convene meetings that draw diverse

stakeholders of a community's food system

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E.g., Increase residents' access to grocery stores:

FPCs unpack the interrelated causes of the problem, considering things like:

• Infrastructure: Are (public) transportation links to existing grocery stores adequate?

• Economic development: Which banks will or will not loan to new grocery stores?

• Built environment: Which zoning codes or regulations could be changed to locate grocery stores closer to residential areas?

• Alternatives or supplemental programs: Could a farmers market or home delivery program fill service gaps?

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Kamloops Food Action Initiative

The Interior Health Authority, the City of Kamloops and the Kamloops Food Policy Council partnered to undertake the Community Food Action Initiative project in 2006. The goal was to engage stakeholders in efforts to strengthen and support food planning, policy, and practices in the Kamloops Region.

Five project elements: 1. Inventory of resources and food action projects; 2. Community consultation and policy review; 3. Food Action Forum to review policy and develop actions; 4. Draft Plan; 5. Evaluation using the Food Security Report Card tool.

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Food ChartersThey are policy-reference documents that:

• present a vision for a just and sustainable food system that has been developed by the community and endorsed by the community’s decision-makers

• anchor municipal commitments to sustainable food system policies

• provide guidelines for decisions about food

• bring people together to talk about & work on local food system and food security challenges

• provide a reference for managing food system issues on a system-wide basis.

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Benefits of a Food Charter• Activate civic engagement

– Create opportunities for conversations about food– Create a valuable tool through collaborative process– More public participation helps communities address challenges

• Articulate an overall vision for food policy– Bring together separate policy areas (land use/zoning, waste

management, health & food safety

– Support staff to initiate innovative planning & operations strategies• Facilitate collaboration

– Facilitate inclusivity– Expand traditional thinking & roles– Extend range of influence & action– Show leadership & vision

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Benefits of a Food Charter

• Catalyze actions– Inform projects that benefit local economies and

the environment– Support fundraising

• Benefit the environment– encourage personal & institutional choices

that support more sustainable food systems

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Quotes from Communities with a Food Charter:

• “Galvanizes and focuses work around food”�• “Makes the city a leader”�• “Helps put food on the municipal agenda”�• “Municipal resources become available for food issues”�• “Development of new community gardens and farmers’ �

markets”• “Facilitates and frames food system research and �

assessment”• “Facilitates / guides the development of more �

applied/specific policy documents”

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Common Charter Ingredients

• Vision statements• Principles / Guidelines• Action Goals / Priorities• Background & rationale

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Charter Principles

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PCLQThZ8io&feature=youtu.be - Guelph Wellington Food Charter

• Vancouver– Ecological health– Social justice– Community economic development– Collaboration & participation– Celebration

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Examples of Food Charters• Toronto’s Food Charter (2000)• Saskatoon Food Charter (2002)• City of Greater Sudbury Food Charter (2004)• Vancouver Food Charter (2007)• Capital Region Food Charter (2008)• Region of Durham (2008)• Thunder Bay Food Charter (2008)• London’s Food Charter (2010)• Guelph-Wellington Food Charter (2011)• Kawartha Lakes Food Charter (2011)

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Supportive Resources• G-W Food Charter Toolkit -

http://www.gwfrt.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/GWFRT_Toolkit_Final_2013.pdf – Toolkit for Eaters - page 3– Toolkit for Growers - page 5– Toolkit for Business and Institutions - page 7– Toolkit for Policy Makers - page 8– Toolkit for Community Food Projects - page 9

• Ottawa’s Food for All Policy Writing Team Toolbox - http://www.justfood.ca/foodforall/documents/Food_for_All_Policy_Writing_Team_Toolbox.pdf

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Typical Process to Develop Charter• Ottawa

– Conducted a scan of food programs and services – Conducted a series of literature reviews and in-depth stakeholder interviews to help

us learn about the experiences of others who have worked towards addressing food issues and understand what steps are needed in order to translate these community ideas into action in Ottawa.

– Food For All hosted Food Action Planning conversations to identify issues that exist around food in Ottawa and to build a vision of what food in Ottawa can and should look like.

– Policy-writing teams comprised of community participants then worked together to set policy priorities based on evidence and research, and developed the food Action Plan Proposals. For many volunteers, this was the very first time they had had a chance to engage in a policy process.

– We have hosted Kitchen Table Talks focussing on the different chapters of the Food Action Plan and

– Sought online feedback on the website.

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Typical Process to Develop Charter (2)

• Create a Steering Committee / Core Group• Determine your local resources and process• Community Food Assessment

– Mapping Food Access Points (existing Continuum for Norfolk & Haldimand)– Community Consultations – open forum, stakeholder interviews, focus groups– Report to summarize current situation & desired future

• Draft Food Charter• Gain input to draft

– Open input via Web site/ paper– Community Consultations – open forum, stakeholder interviews, focus groups

• Finalize the Charter• Endorsement

– Community organizations / Stakeholders– Local government

• Communicate Charter to stimulate corresponding action

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Introduction to Policy Development / Change• "The World Has Changed“ - http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=GrlEQ15mVPM

• Overview of physical activity examples from RC– Shawna

• Examples of healthy eating policy approaches from other communities– Support for community gardens (water, storage, security)– Zoning to support year-round Farmers’ Markets– Pension options for farmers– Organizational procurement policies– Signs to denote local food availability– Edible landscapes

Common Process for

Policy Development

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Collective action / Partnership is KEY

• Readiness on four fronts – Step 2– Each organization in partnership– The community who will be affected by the

policy change– The decision-makers– The partnership overall

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Scanning the Local Food Environment

• With a marker, circulate to the stations to add what you know about that is currently happening in RC regarding food system elements

• Look at what is already on the sheet - add new items

• 2 columns - what is happening and where

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Identifying Local Food Issues – a World Cafe 1. How do you interpret the term "local"?2. What changes would you suggest to this Food System

framework? (picture posted)3. What concerns do you have about the local food system (same

picture)?4. What are the barriers in Renfrew County to people accessing

healthy, local foods on a regular basis?5. What most influences your food purchases, including

convenience foods?6. Where do you see significant food waste occurring in the

county?7. What food skills are in need of improvement in the community?8. How do you feel about how land is being used now and planned

for in the future in Renfrew County?

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Results of the Landscape & the Cafe Discussions

• So What?• Emerging Priorities?• Index Cards on tables

– Don’t limit your ideas based on resources– Include short term, quick wins & longer term

more strategic priorities

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Vision & Mission for a Food Council

• Vision Statement - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioY-YSOKBtY

• Mission - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtyCt83JLNY

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Examples of Vision & Mission for Food Councils

• Waterloo’s healthy food system is one in which all residents have access to, and can afford to buy, safe, nutritious, and culturally-acceptable food that has been produced in an environmentally sustainable way and that sustains our rural communities.

The Chatham-Kent Food Policy Council envisions a community where: • all residents have access to adequate, affordable , safe, nutritious, and culturally-

acceptable food; • there is a sustainable food system* (e.g. local foods are available and promoted,

local agricultural lands and farmers are protected and supported, urban agriculture is encouraged, and food has been produced and distributed in an environmentally acceptable way);

• food is an important part of our heritage and culture.

Edmonton has a resilient food and agriculture system that contributes to the local economy and the overall cultural, financial, social and environmental sustainability of the city.

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Creating a Vision

• Using sticky notes at your tables, write single words/phrases that describe “the preferred future” ; a “realistic stretch”

• Build commonalities as a group• Don’t worry about wordsmithing

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Mission Statement

• The purpose, mandate, reason for being• Unique from any other group• Necessary to work towards the Vision• Write a mission Statement at each table

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Sample Mission Statements• Edmonton Food Council responsibilities include the following core

functions and activities:

• Advisory– proposing priorities and work plans to Administration– providing advice on food and urban agriculture issues

• Research and Evaluation– identifying emerging issues and potential solutions– monitoring and reporting on progress of the Strategy

• Coordinating– playing a networking and connecting role between the many partners

involved with implementing the Strategy– facilitating collaboration between Administration and community partners

• Engagement and Education

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Sample Mission StatementsThe mission of the Chatham-Kent Food Policy Council is to encourage and

facilitate dialogue and collaboration among food related organizations, agencies, services, food producers and distributors, consumers, business and government to develop strategies for the promotion and facilitation of the vision and bring it to action.

The mandate of the VFPC is to support the development of a food system where food is:– Safe, nutritious, and culturally appropriate– Affordable, available, and accessible to all– Produced, processed, marketed, consumed, and waste products reused or

managed in a manner that is: • Financially viable• Protects the health and dignity of people• Minimally impacting the environment.

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Interest in Further Participation

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Closing Remarks

• Survey Monkey coming• Reflections on today? • What to expect next• Thank you’s

Isolated, Disjointed Initiatives

Connected Network

Community Engagement Engage 2 streams – multi sector community leaders / members What can we do to support local priorities and needs? Build on what exists locally Enhance and support our assets Engage people of all ages and backgrounds Make a local impact

Knowledge Sharing Community Engagement Evidence Based Best Practices & Expertise Oct., 2008 June, 2009 2010 Feb., 2011 June, 2012

Community Action Active Transportation (AT-Culture Shift, STP, 14 bikes, Silver Chain Challenge) Access To Physical Activity Built Environment Natural Environment (eg: Guide to Outside, Natural Spaces Tool Kit)

Community Action

Active Transportation (STP, 14 bikes, Silver Chain Challenge) Healthy Active Community Charter Community Gardens in Every School Community Use of Schools – Walking in the Halls FIT – First Nations Culture & Natural Spaces

Engagement – 49 members of working group Contribution to the Renfrew County Active Transportation Strategy Connect benefits to other sectors Inclusion of Active Transportation in 2013-2018 County Strategy Inclusion of Active Transportation into Official Plan What does this mean to local municipalities?

Active Transportation

Active Transportation

Engagement – 49 members of working group Collaborative development of the Active Transportation Strategy OTF grant to support AT-Culture Shift Inclusion of Active Transportation in 2013-2018 County Strategy Inclusion of Active Transportation into Official Plan

Other Priority Areas

Built Environment Natural Environment

Active Outdoor Play (part of Access) Trails – Walking / Cycling (part of AT) After School Programs (part of Access)

co-ordinated assetscommon groundsopen communicationshared ownershipcollaborative leadershipcollective impact

Effective Partnerships

Model / Governance shared vision collaborative leadership effective communication connected network supportive environments & healthy policy dev’t Shared investment collective impact

local strengthsaccessible spacesexisting initiativescombined expertise

Building From Within

Shawna BabcockExecutive Director, KidActiveCo-ordinator, Healthy Communities Partnership - RCChair, Physical Activity Network-RCsbabcock@kidactive.ca613 633 7075 (mobile)

http://www.kidactive.cahttp://www.physicalactivitynetwork.ca

Thank you!

The futility of isolated initiatives