Draft Regional Food System Strategy for Metro Vancouver - September 2010

8/8/2019 Draft Regional Food System Strategy for Metro Vancouver - September 2010

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www.metrovancouver.org

DRAFTRegional Food System Strategy

SEPTEMBER 2010

SUSTAINABLE REGION INITIATIVE... TURNING IDEAS INTO AC


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Table of Contents

PREFACE ......................................................................................................................... 1PART ONE: THE BIG PICTURE ....................................................................................... 2

METRO VANCOUVER SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK .........................................................2 Vision Statement............................................................................................................................................... 3

Sustainability Imperatives and Principles ....................................................................................................... 3

VISION OF THE METRO VANCOUVER REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM ....................................4THE REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY ........................................................................5A Food Systems Approach ..................................................................................................... 5Challenges ..................................................................................................................................................... 12

Roles and Responsibilities ............................................................................................................................. 13

Aligning with Provincial Initiatives ................................................................................................................. 16

Coordinating with Other Metro Vancouver Plans ........................................................................................ 17

PART TWO: THE STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN ............................................................... 18GOALS, STRATEGIES and SAMPLE ACTIONS ......................................................................18Goal 1: Increased Capacity to Produce Food Close to Home ................................................................... 18

Goal 2: Enhanced Role o Food Sector in the Regional Economy............................................................. 22

Goal 3: Healthy and Sustainable Food Choices .......................................................................................... 27

Goal 4: Access to Healthy, Culturally Diverse and A ordable Food or Everybody ........................ ......... 30

Goal 5: A Food System Consistent with Ecological Health ....................................................................... 33

PERFORMANCE MEASURES ................................................................................................ 37GLOSSARY............................................................................................................................. 38

APPENDIX: DETAILED, DYNAMIC ACTION PLAN ....................................................... 40

Figures and TablesFigure 1 Metro Vancouvers Sustainability Framework ........................ ......................... ........................ ........ 2

Figure 2: Elements o a Food System ............................................................................................................ 6

Figure 3 Map o the Metro Vancouvers Agricultural Land Reserve ........................................ .................... 9

Table 1 Range o arm products produced in Metro Vancouver ................................................................. 8

Table 2 Distribution o Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) in Metro Vancouver Municipalities .................. 10


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Draft Regional Food System Strategy September 2010 1

Food is a top o mind issue or many people. Thereare growing concerns about the rising incidence o obesity, ood sa ety, disappearing armland, depleted

sh populations, ood waste, and the carbon ootprinto ood. At the same time there is a renewed interestin growing ood, preparing healthy meals, buying local

oods, and working with others to provide equitableaccess to nutritious ood in our communities.

The Metro Vancouver Board decided to initiate aRegional Food System Strategy in 2008 as part o itscommitment to build this a sustainable region. Since

then hundreds o residents have attended public orumsto talk about agriculture and ood issues. We heard abouta wide array o problems but more importantly, manyideas on how to improve the well-being o residents,the economic viability o local business, as well as theecological health o the region.

Our ood system is complex. No government agency isresponsible or ensuring that ood is available to residents.Instead Metro Vancouvers ood system is a product o trends in the global marketplace superimposed on amosaic o local activities involving the private sector,community organizations, educational institutions aswell as all levels o government. Adapting the regional

ood system to refect todays concerns and valuesrequires a concerted e ort rom groups that support acommon vision and a plan to get there.

The Regional Food System Strategy is a rst step tocreating a sustainable, resilient and healthy ood systemthat enhances the economic prosperity o the region andconserves natural systems while improving the healtho all residents. This strategy takes into account thecurrent strengths o Metro Vancouvers ood system andthe challenges that must be grappled with, to propose

goals and strategies, that will make the system moresustainable, resilient and healthy.

To achieve this means that we will still eat oods romaround the world, but there will be more local ood inour grocery stores and on our plates. Our ood choiceswill be healthier ones and the ood system will do a betterjob o sustaining the natural systems on which we all rely.

There are important and exciting initiatives alreadyunderway that are addressing some o the problemsin the regional ood system. Examples o these are

captured in this Strategy along with potential priorityactions that will require greater collaboration amongthose involved in the regional ood system.

This Regional Food System Strategy is presentedin three parts. The rst part explores the context,the nature o the Metro Vancouver ood system, itschallenges and the general scope and approach o thisStrategy in addressing these challenges. The secondpart sets out the goals and strategies to achieve thesegoals, illustrative examples o actions, and current andproposed, priorities to implement the Strategy. The

third section is an appendix containing a lengthier,more detailed list o actions. This section is entitledDetailed, Dynamic Action Plan because it a work inprogress that will develop and evolve as the collaborativeprocess continues.

It is anticipated and intended that the second parto this will be amended requently. Given the multi-party nature o the development and implementation o actions contained in this Strategy, this document is bestviewed as a working document that will be periodicallybrought back or review by the participating agencies,organizations and the public to consider whether coursecorrections or new priorities are needed.

PREFACE

Metro Vancouver is a political body and corporateentity operating under provincial legislationas a regional district and greater boards thatdelivers regional services, planning and politicalleadership on behal o 24 local authorities.It comprises the City o Abbots ord, Villageo Anmore, Village o Belcarra, Bowen IslandMunicipality, City o Burnaby, City o Coquitlam,

Corporation o Delta, City o Langley, Townshipo Langley, Village o Lions Bay, District o MapleRidge, City o New Westminster, City o North

Vancouver, District o North Vancouver, City o Pitt Meadows, City o Port Coquitlam, City o Port Moody, City o Richmond, City o Surrey,Tsawwassen First Nation, City o Vancouver,District o West Vancouver, City o White Rock,and Electoral Area A (unincorporated area.)


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2 Draft Regional Food System Strategy September 2010

Since 2002, Metro Vancouver has ormally put theconcept o sustainability at the centre o its operatingand planning philosophy and advanced its role as aleader in the attempt to make the region one whichis explicitly committed to a sustainable uture. Thiscomprehensive endeavour has become known as theSustainability Framework.

All o Metro Vancouvers plans share a common nucleus,that is, the vision, mission, values, imperatives andprinciples as set out in the Sustainability Framework.This Regional Food System Strategy is one plan in asuite o Metro Vancouver plans.

Figure 1 Metro Vancouvers Sustainability Framework

PART ONE: THE BIG PICTURE

METRO VANCOUVER SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK

Measures & Targets(Sustainability Report)

Regional Vision

Metro Vancouver Role & Mission

Values

Sustainability Principles

Plans, Policy & Regulations

S ite of Pla s

Dri ki gWater

OtherPla s

M icipalities

Tra sLi k

Port/Airport

Provi cial/Federal

PoliticalLeadership

Colla orativeGover a ce

O treach

Advocac

Ed catio

ServiceDelivery

S stai a iliti Actio

Water

Parks

Sewerage

Ho si g

Solid WasteDisposal

La o rRelatio s

Solid Waste

Liq id WasteAir Q alit

Ho si g

Parks &Gree wa sEcological

Health

GrowthStrateg

FoodSystem


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Vision StatementMetro Vancouver seeks to achieve what humanity aspires

to on a global basis the highest quality o li e embracing

cultural vitality, economic prosperity, social justice and

compassion, all nurtured in and by a beauti ul and healthy

natural environment.

We will achieve this vision by embracing and applying

the principles o sustainability, not least o which is an

unshakeable commitment to the well-being o currentand uture generations and the health o the planet, in

everything we do.

As we share our e orts in achieving this vision, we are

confdent that the inspiration and mutual learning we

gain will become vital ingredients in our hopes or a

sustainable common uture.

Sustainability Imperatives and PrinciplesThe Sustainability Framework is driven by the ollowing

overarching imperatives necessary or creating a

sustainable uture:

Have regard or both local and global consequences, and

long term impacts; Recognize and re ect the interconnectedness and

interdependence o systems; Be collaborative.

These lead to three sustainability principles or decision-

making:

1. Protect and enhance the natural environment;2. Provide or ongoing prosperity; and3. Build community capacity and social cohesion.


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As part o its commitment to a sustainable uture or theregion and its people, Metro Vancouver will contributeto creating:

a sustainable, resilient and healthy food system that enhances the economic prosperity of the region,and conserves natural systems while improving thehealth of all residents.

A sustainable ood system meets the needs o thepresent generation without compromising the abilityo uture residents to meet their needs. Accomplishingthis will require protecting the ecological health o the

region while taking actions that provide or ongoingpro tability in the ood sector and addressing inequitiesin ood access. Residents and businesses spending alarger portion o their ood budget on local oods willcontribute to a stronger, more vital regional economybecause the economic bene ts o their spending areretained locally. In addition, policies and community-based programs designed to improve ood access willcontribute to greater cohesion and social well-being.Healthy, unctioning ecosystems are important or theon-going provision o ood rom land and sea.

A sustainable ood system must be resilient, that iscapable o recovering rom un oreseen setbacks andshort-term crises. Resiliency is achieved by having

a ood supply that comes rom a diversity o sources,both local and distant. In Metro Vancouver this canbe accomplished by increasing the production o local

oods and ensuring that consumers are able to purchaselocal oods through a variety o venues includinggrocery stores, armers markets and restaurants. At thesame time, community-led initiatives addressing oodand hunger issues will build networks that enhance thetrans er o knowledge on a range o topics, includinghow to grow ood and prepare healthy meals. Thesee orts build community capacity and enhance theregions social capital.

A sustainable ood system is also a healthy system, itis one that improves the well-being o individualsand reduces the stress on the health care system. Thiswill be achieved by improving eating habits andhealthier diets. Better eating habits can help reducethe risk o diet related diseases, including obesity,Type II diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers andosteoporosis.1 Some vulnerable groups and local incomehouseholds need improved access to nutritious ood. Inaddition, preparing and sharing ood results in positiveexperiences within amilies, among riends and within

communities.1 Health Canada & Public Health Agency o Canada. 2010. Its Your

Health.

VISION OF THE METRO VANCOUVER REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM


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Food is essential to li e we all need to eat but it isalso tied to our culture, values and amily traditions.The growing, buying and preparing o ood can helpbuild communities and the sharing o a meal canbuild riendships and other relationships. Beyond thepersonal, the production and consumption o ood isrooted to economic and ecological systems. Yet despiteits importance, it is only recently that the public hasstarted to ask questions about how we currently eedourselves. Anticipated changes in oil prices, climaticconditions and sh populations, have now begun toraise concerns about how resilient our ood system is.

Our regional ood system is a ected by global scaleinfuences which are beyond the scope o this Strategy.However local policies and programs can also infuenceour regional ood system and these are the ocus o thisStrategy. This Regional Food System Strategy provides avision and structure that will enable more collaborationamong di erent agencies and groups to shape the oodsystem in Metro Vancouver. The points o commoninterest are:

increasing local capacity to produce ood,

improving nancial viability o armers and others inthe ood supply chain, encouraging people to eat healthier diets, ensuring a more equitable access to ood, reducing waste in the ood system, and protecting the ecological health o our region and

surrounding waters.

A Food Systems ApproachThe Strategy has been constructed using a ood systemsapproach. A ood system re ers to all the processes in-volved in keeping us ed: rom growing and harvesting

ood to its processing, packaging, transportation, distri-bution, preparation, marketing, and its nal consump-tion. It also includes the disposal o ood and associatedpackaging.

A ood system operates within and is infuenced bythe cultural, societal, economic and environmentalcontexts in which it is situated. The ood system inMetro Vancouver refects the history o the rst people

o the region and the subsequent waves o immigration.While the places we buy our ood refect the wayneighbourhoods and municipalities were developed,the structure o our regional ood system also refectseconomic and social orces at the national and globallevels. Adopting a ood systems approach means thisstrategy looks at the big picture and takes a holisticview o the ood system to understand how the di erentcomponents all t together.

The key elements o the current ood system areillustrated in Figure 2. The conventional supply chain

begins with armers, ranchers and shermen who growor harvest ood and sell their products to wholesaledistributors and processors. Firms then trans ormraw ood into shel ready products through sorting,grading, packaging and other processing activities.The nished products are warehoused or distributionto grocery stores, ood markets, restaurants and otherbusinesses who sell the ood to the consumers. Theconventional supply chain is supplemented by directmarketing. This occurs when armers, shermen orsmall scale ood processors sell their products directlyto restaurants and consumers at the dock, arm gate,

armers markets and other venues.Each step o the supply chain increases value but pro-duces waste. A study in 2007 estimated that 38 percent o ood available or retail sale was wasted2 witheven more spoilage and waste occurring in homes. On

arms, surplus crops and waste may just be recycled intothe elds but in urban areas ood waste rom processingplants, warehouses, grocers, restaurants and homes be-come part o the regional waste stream. A commitmentto sustainability involves exploring the opportunities toreduce the amount o ood and packaging waste. This

will involve expanding ood recovery activities, increas-ing composting, and recycling more ood packagingthat now ends up in the disposal system.

Decisions made within the ood supply chain areprimarily guided by market actors. Because ood is anessential need and because ood production, distribution,and disposal has social, health and environmentalimplications, governments, at all levels, have assumedroles to address issues not remedied by market orces.

2 Statistics Canada. 2009. Human Activity and the Environment: Foodin Canada.

THE REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY


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C O

M P O S T

R E C Y C L I N G

E X P O R T S

D I S P O

S A L

FARMING+

FISHING

PROCESSING+

DISTRIBUTION

R E C O V E

R Y

HOUSEHOLDS

CONVENTIONAL SUPPLY CHAIN

RETAIL+

RESTAURANTS

FOOD & PACKAGING WASTE

GOVERNMENTSand other

inuencers

D I RE C T M A R K E T I N G

IM P O R T S

Figure 2: Elements o a Food System

These include issues like disparities in ood access, losso prime armland, ood sa ety and degradation o shhabitat. Other groups that have taken on roles to infuencethe ood system include pro essional associations, non-governmental organizations, community groups,educational institutions and the media. Understandingthe unctions o the ood system and the roles o variousgroups is essential or determining the best avenues orbuilding a sustainable, resilient and healthy regional

ood system.

There are many actors infuencing a households oodpurchases. The price di erential between similar ooditems may be important at the grocery store or in a res-taurant, but it does not always explain why consumerschoose certain oods. Our eating pre erences are a ectedby our cultural upbringing, social circles, income status,ability to access certain oods, knowledge about nutri-tion and ood preparation, as well as personal habits andtastes. In addition, advertising and marketing campaignscan have signi cant infuence on ood choices, especially

or children.


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Metro Vancouvers Food SystemThe current conditions or building a sustainable,resilient and healthy ood system in Metro Vancouverare positive. The region has the land, water resources andexpertise to produce more ood. The private sector hasthe business capacity, innovation and entrepreneurialskills to enhance our ood sectors. There is also a growingenthusiasm or making changes, both at the communitylevel and within the ood supply chain.

Metro Vancouver is the largest urban concentration inBritish Columbia, accounting or over 51 per cent o thepopulation where 817,230 households spend almost $5billion annually on ood. 3 Most o the ood we buy is notgrown or caught here. The B.C. Ministry o Agricultureand Lands estimated that the 48 per cent o oodconsumed within the province was produced here butthis analysis only included resh oods and not processed

ood.4 Supermarket shelves and produce bins are ull o ood items containing products rom around the world.

Since the 1950s, productivity in the global ood sectorhas surged while the prices paid or ood has dropped.This was primarily accomplished by the application o

industrial production techniques and targeted subsides inthe ood sector coupled with the ability to ship produceand processed oods to markets around the world usingrelatively inexpensive ossil uels. Overall, consumershave bene tted rom this situation, because ood pricesare low and the variety o ood products has increased.

While the ood system is now global, there is a highlyproductive and diversi ed agriculture industry inMetro Vancouver. The arm area in Metro Vancouverrepresents only 1.5 per cent o B.C.s agricultural landbase but generates 28 per cent o the provinces gross

arm income rom more than 130 di erent agriculturalproducts. 5 (see Table 1)

3 Population gures rom Census 2006. The calculation on spending isbased on data rom 2001 Food Expenditure in Canada report romStatistics Canada.

4 B.C. Ministry o Agriculture and Lands. 2006. B.C.s Food Sel -Reliance: Can B.C.s armers eed our growing population?

5 Census o Agriculture. 2006. Statistics Canada.


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Livestock m er of a imals

Hens and Chickens 4,075,408Turkeys 332,397Other Poultry 132,835Cattle & Dairy Cows 29,433Mink 157,248

Horses & Ponies 6,237Sheep & Lambs 4,699Pigs 3,832Goats 1,234Llamas & Alpacas 578

Colonies o Bees ( or honey) 4,305

Fr it Crops m er of hectares

Blueberries 2,734Cranberries 1,503Strawberries 208

Raspberries 198Apples 42Grapes 31Pears 12Sweet Cherries 10Plums and Prunes 5Peaches 5Other Fruit 53

Vegeta le Crops m er of hectares

Potatoes 2,285

Nursery Products 1,192Green/Wax Beans 804Sweet Corn 405Squash and Zucchini 116Green Peas 267

Vegeta le Crops co t m er of hectares

Lettuces 213Pumpkins 203Carrots 196

Chinese Cabbage 105Cabbage 97

Beets 55Spinach 47Rutabagas/Turnips 45Cucumbers 42Onions 39Shallots/Green Onions 35Caulifower 19Peppers 18

Broccoli 17Tomatoes 14

Celery 7Other Vegetables 229

Field Crops m er of hectares

Barley 513

Wheat 368Oats 528Forage seed 411Corn or Grain 181Other Hay and Fodder 7,597

Other Crops area i m2

Mushrooms 85,424*Greenhouse Vegetables 1,743,581Greenhouse Flowers 1,007,752Other Greenhouses 485,169Source: 2006 Census of Agriculture

* Only for Township of Langley and City of Surrey

Table 1 Range o arm products produced in Metro Vancouver


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Figure 3 Map o the Metro Vancouvers Agricultural Land Reserve

Farms in Metro Vancouver are relatively small in scale.O the over 2,618 arms in the region, the average size is16 hectares and more than hal are 4 hectares (10 acres)or smaller. In comparison, the average arm size in B.C.and Canada were 143 and 295 hectares respectively 6.

Pro table arm operations serve both export andlocal markets. Local growers are success ully sellingblueberries, cranberries, greenhouse vegetables and otherproducts to local and international markets. Farmerswho produce poultry, eggs and dairy products undersupply management boards are also pro table. Whileopportunities to sell local produce into the conventionalsupply chain exist or large scale producers, they arelimited or smaller producers. In response, some armers

6 2006 Census Bulletin #2 Census o Agriculture. Issued August 2007.Metro Vancouver.

and shermen are nding alternative venues to sell theirproducts directly to restaurants and consumers and aredoing well. In addition there are local ood processorsthat have developed niche and artisan ood productsthat are experiencing increasing sales.

A critically important policy development in sustainingagriculture in Metro Vancouver was the provincialgovernments decision to protect agricultural landsin perpetuity. The creation o the Agricultural LandReserve (ALR) in 1973 has meant that some o the richest

armland in Canada is still actively armed within theregion. Today there are approximately 61,346 hectaresin the ALR in Metro Vancouver 7 (Figure 3). Most o the high capability agricultural lands are located alongthe river delta in Richmond, Delta, Surrey and Pitt

7 Source: Agricultural Land Commission as o January 2008.


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Meadows or in the uplands o Langley, and Maple Ridge(Table 2). Be ore the ALR was created, the conversiono armland to urban use was rapid. Despite ongoing

e orts to convert armland to residential development,business parks, and industrial lands as well as right o ways or highways and utilities, public support or theALR remains strong.

In addition to a rich diversity o agriculture products,sea ood and sh are harvested rom the Fraser River,urban streams, the shoreline and Salish Sea. The storiedcultures o the First Nations who have lived in theregion or many generations refect the importance o the abundance rom the sea, in particular, salmon. Animportant chapter in the economic development o

Metro Vancouver revolves around the canneries locatednear the docks where commercial shermen landedtheir catches.

The ood sector is also an important employer in theregion. About one in eight jobs in Metro Vancouver arein ood production, processing, distribution, marketing,retail and services. Total revenue or the B.C. oodindustry is estimated to be over $35 billion dollars 8 asigni cant portion is located in Metro Vancouver.

8 BC Ministry o Agriculture and Lands (2006). Fast Stats: Agriculture,Aquaculture and Food 2006. BC gures include sales rom agriculture($2.6 billion), aquaculture ($0.23 billion), ood processing ($6.9billion), ood wholesaling ($10.3 billion) and ood retail and oodservice industry ($18.7 billion.) The data does not include in ormationon commercial sheries.

M icipalit Total M icipalLa d (ha)M icipal La di the ALR* (ha)

% of MunicipalLand in theALR

Anmore 799 - - - -Belcarra 1,003 - - - -Bowen Island 5,050 183


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There is growing public interest in purchasing localoods. Sales at armers markets are increasing andood events continue to attract crowds. Local che s are

leading innovators and promoters o a northwest cuisinethat relies on local produce, artisanal arm productslike cheese, and sustainable sources o sea ood. At thesame time, more residents are becoming interestedin growing their ood in backyards and communitygardens. Turnout at ood related public events continuesto climb while more residents are volunteering withcommunity groups working on ood security issues.

At the same time, there are many people in MetroVancouver who, due to low income or other actors, haveew or no opportunities to learn about or access resh

and healthy oods. In celebrating the positive trends,it is important to not be blind to the act that somehouseholds could be much better served by the regional

ood system and are less likely to have bene tted romthe changes made so ar.

The ood system in Metro Vancouver also evolved roma rich cultural diversity that has shaped the region. The

ood we cook and enjoy at restaurants, community eventsand with riends and amily is a refection o the act that40 per cent o the regions residents were born outsideo Canada. The ongoing mixing o people, cultures andknowledge is an asset in building a sustainable, resilientand healthy ood system.

For the purposes o the development o a Regional FoodSystem Strategy, local ood is de ned as being grownand harvested in the Metro Vancouver.


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ChallengesThe Metro Vancouver ood system operates withina much broader national and global context wherechanges in climate and other environmental conditions,economic orces and cultural trends a ect the availabilityand type o ood we eat. Through collaborative actionsthe Regional Food System Strategy will aim to addressthe ollowing challenges:

Creating opportunities or local oodbusinessesThe general trend in the ood system has been towardsincreasing corporate concentration that has resulted inthe relocation o processing and warehousing acilitiesthat previously served local ood markets. For manyregions, including Metro Vancouver, this has resultedin the loss o value-added and distribution operationsin the ood supply chain. For ood producers who cansupply large volumes o arm commodities year roundat competitive prices this has not been a problem.But many medium and small scale arm and shingoperations that characterize the region nd it di cult tosell their products into the conventional supply chain.Minimal amounts o processing, like reezing, coupledwith storage would extend the shel li e o seasonallyavailable oods while more extensive processing acilitieswould create new jobs and other economic bene ts.

Enabling a healthier populationIn relatively prosperous regions, like Metro Vancouver,a disturbing dichotomy has emerged. In the midst o an abundance o relatively cheap ood, more peoplehave unhealthy diets and the incidence o ood relatedchronic diseases has increased. A growing number

o people are labeled as malnourished meaningthey are either over consuming oods that should beconsumed in moderation or they are not consumingenough nutritious oods or a combination o both. 9 There are a number o actors behind this trend. Peopleare spending less time preparing healthy meals andare losing knowledge about cooking well-balanced,nutritious meals. For vulnerable groups the ood thatis most easily accessible and relatively cheap has high

9 Food, Health and Well-being in British Columbia. Provincial HealthO cers Annual Report 2005, page xvii.

calories and low nutritional value o ten with largeamounts o sweeteners, ats and salt. This is a particularproblem or low income households in Metro Vancouverwhere the amount o money spent on ood is constantlybeing squeezed by the need to cover housing costs.

Reducing the carbon ootprint o oodModern agriculture and the ood system as a wholehave developed a strong dependence on ossil uelsto produce, transport and process ood. One studyestimates that the conventional agri- ood system uses7.3 units o energy to produce one unit o ood energy. 10 The reliance o the ood system on ossil uels has botheconomic and environmental implications. Oil pricesare projected to rise signi cantly in the uture and oodprices will ollow. The use o ossil uels or energy orproduction and transportation means the ood sectoris a relatively large source o global greenhouse gasemissions. Governments interested in e ective climatechange mitigation strategies will have to nd the meansto reduce the carbon ootprint o ood.

Preparing or uncertainty in the global ood

systemA growing world population and the emergence o morea fuent middle-classes in countries like China and Indiacoupled with the negative trend in key ecological indica-tors are leading to greater uncertainty in terms o global

ood supply. The shortage o reshwater, the loss o topsoiland the rising temperatures and other e ects associatedwith climate change is making it increasingly hard toexpand the worlds grain supply as quickly as increasesin demand 11. At the same time, stocks o wild sh are di-minishing as a result o changes in the ocean ecosystems,loss o habitat, over- shing, pollution and introduction

o exotic species. Any combination o these actors canlead to reduced ood availability and higher ood prices.

Working across multiple jurisdictionsDespite being a basic human need, ood is not an issuethat resides within one agency, department, or levelo government. Instead, various components o the

10 Centre or Sustainable Systems, University o Michigan. 2009.U.S.Food System Factsheet. Pub. No. CSS01-06.

11 Brown, Lester (2009). Could ood shortages bring down civilization?Scienti c American Magazine, April 22, 2009.


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ood system reside with ederal, provincial or localgovernment agencies adding complexity to the policyand regulatory environment. The conventional practicehas been to deal with each ood issue in isolation, orexample, to develop policies to address ood sa etyregulations without considering the impact ondi erent scales o business operations. There are alsolost opportunities or synergies in developing moreenvironmentally sound practices. This situation refectsthe mosaic o agency mandates as well as the specializedknowledge o experts, scientists and government sta .As a result, no one agency has the capacity or ability toaddress ood issues in an integrated and holistic mannerwithout better collaboration.

This Regional Food System Strategy aims to addressthese challenges by identi ying actions that will buildand strengthen relationships while bridging the gaps

that exist in the Metro Vancouver ood system. This willrequire creative thinking about policies, identi yingresources, building commitment to work collaborativelyand engaging stakeholders and the public in theprocess. Stronger connections between and among theprivate sector, governments, educational institutionsand community organizations can enhance our abilityto build capacity in the ood sectors and revitalize theregional ood system.

Roles and ResponsibilitiesThe private sector, government agencies, other groupsand the public play important roles in the regional oodsystem.

Private sectorThe structure o the ood system and the variety o rmsinvolved refect broader market trends, the history o the region, and the entrepreneurship o individuals.Business is the oundation o a regional ood system.Decision-making in this sector is guided by a need tobe nancially viable in the ace o fuctuations in marketdemand, production costs, competition, regulation, thechanging structure o the industry and other actors.Within this context there are many in the ood sectorwho see opportunities to address consumer interests orgreater sustainability and health.

Exports will continue to be important or some in theagriculture, shing and ood processing sector in theregion. But or the vast number o small scale producersand processors, developing more and secured venues

or selling locally is critical because they are unable toproduce in the volumes required to operate within theglobal supply chains.

Innovation is the key to improving productivity andbusiness success in the private sector and this relies on


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investment in research and development. The privatesector will have to take the lead on this but becausethere are broader economic and social bene ts associatedwith stronger ood sector, governments and educationalinstitutions can also make important contributions.

Government o CanadaFederal government authority or ood rests primarilyin agriculture, sheries, aquaculture and health services.Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is ocused on theinternational and inter-provincial trade and commerceo agricultural products, arm income stabilization,agriculture research and development, and theregulation o animals and plants.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is responsibleor regulating ood products, packaging and labeling

as well as ood sa ety emergencies, testing productsor chemical residues, export/import requirements and

protecting Canadas plant resource base rom incursionso pests and diseases.

The Department o Fisheries and Oceans has theresponsibility or conserving and protecting aquatichabitat, working in collaboration to manage commercial,recreational and Aboriginal sheries, and creating theconditions to support sustainable aquaculture.

Health Canada helps maintain and improve the health o Canadians by regulating consumer products, deliveringenvironmental health and protection programs, trackingdiseases and overseeing workplace health. The PublicHealth Agency o Canada aims to reduce pressure onthe health care system by promoting good health,preventing chronic diseases and injury, and protectingagainst in ectious diseases and other health threats.

Province o British ColumbiaThe Province shares a mandate or agriculture andhealth with the ederal government and also hasprimary authority over strategies or economic growth,job creation, social wel are, transportation systems, andthe environment.

The Ministry o Agriculture and Lands is responsibleor providing a balanced approach that will promote

economic and social development objectives with thoseo environmental sustainability or the agriculture,

aquaculture and ood sectors in the B.C. The Ministryleads the development o strategic public policy orthe sustainable use o Crown land and other resources.In addition, the Ministry unds the Agricultural LandCommission and the B.C. Farm Industry Review Board.

The Ministry o Health Services has overall responsibilityor ensuring British Columbians have access to quality,

appropriate and timely health services by settingprovince-wide goals, standards and per ormanceagreements or health service delivery by the healthauthorities. The Ministry o Healthy Living and Sport

is responsible or promoting health and reducing therisk o chronic disease conditions. Regional HealthAuthorities provide a range o services rom hospitalcare, to community-based residential, home health,mental health and public health services. In MetroVancouver, Vancouver Coastal Health delivers services tothe City o Vancouver, Richmond, the North Shore andsurrounding areas, while Fraser Health provides servicesto municipalities east rom Burnaby to Abbots ord.

The Ministry o Education integrates amily andcommunity needs with early learning initiatives andeducational services. It sets standards or Boards o Education including nutritional requirements orschool ood.

The Ministry o Environments role in sustainableenvironmental management and stewardship includesimplementation o B.C.s Climate Action Plan andLiving Water Smart, B.C.s comprehensive water plan.The Ministry also works on strategies to manage waste,recover resources, reduce toxins and emissions andconserve wildli e and marine species and habitats.

First NationsThere are eleven First Nations located in MetroVancouver: Hwlitsum, Katzie, Kwantlen, Kwikwetlem,Matsqui, Musqueam, Qayqayt, Semiahmoo, Squamish,Tsawwassen and Tsleil-Waututh. Over 40 other FirstNations, tribal councils and treaty groups outside theregion, including those in the Fraser Valley and onVancouver Island also have traditional territories andasserted claims involving lands within this region.Currently, only the Tsawwassen First Nation is a treatyFirst Nation and a member o Metro Vancouver.


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Many First Nations are involved in economic develop-ment planning or their communities and people. Thismay involve sheries, harvesting o plants, berries andother wild resources and, in some cases, agriculture.Management and allocation options or sheries are tiedto the reconciliation o aboriginal and Crown interests.

Metro VancouverThe regional governments role in the ood system isrelated to a number o its mandates, including:

developing and implementing a regional growth

strategy that protects agricultural lands managing solid waste to reduce ood and packaging

waste destined or disposal as well as identi yingopportunities to recover waste in the ood system orenergy or as soil amendments

the provision o potable water and associatedin rastructure

collecting and treating liquid waste (sewage)and promoting best practices or stormwatermanagement

the regulation o air quality this a ects individualood producers and processers and overall air quality

a ects crop production the plans and operations o regional parks which

include some ALR lands serving as the main political orum or discussion o

signi cant community issues o regional importancethrough acilitation, partnerships, advocacy,education and community engagement.

Municipalities

The extent o the municipal role in the ood systemis determined by the type o lands within theirjurisdiction. For municipalities with large tracts o

armland, agriculture is an important element o theireconomy and community abric which requires speci cplans, supporting services or bylaws to maintain therural character. The more urban municipalities usuallyput more emphasis on community services, urbanagriculture, armers markets and other avenues todistribute and access ood.


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Similar to regional governments, the municipal rolein the ood system is related to their jurisdictionalresponsibilities including:

governing land use through O cial CommunityPlans and related zoning bylaws that speci y how

ood producers, business involved in the oodindustry and homeowners can use their properties

deciding how to use municipally owned lands developing plans or municipal in rastructure,

buildings and properties like composting acilities,community centres and parks that can be utilized tosupport community ood security

responsibility or supplying drinking water, solidwaste collection, stormwater management, drainage,diking systems, and en orcing riparian regulations

developing community economic development plansto increase agriculture or other ood sector business

public education as a means or addressing the rangeo health and social problems that con ront theirconstituencies

community engagement to involve citizens in

developing ood policies and initiatives.

Non-governmental Organizations andCommunity GroupsSome non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have beenworking to improve the ood system since the mid-1970s.And as a result o growing interest in ood and a greaterunderstanding o the social and environmental implica-tions o the ood system, many more groups have incorpo-rated work on agriculture, sheries, public health and theenvironment into their agendas. Non-governmental orga-nizations serve an important role in providing an alterna-tive vision to the status quo, advocating or policy changeand then monitoring the e ect o practices and policies.

Many charitable organizations are also providing criticalcommunity services or vulnerable groups. At the sametime, the number o community groups working on oodissues at the grassroots level has signi cantly increased.These groups are primarily volunteer based where mem-bers are engaged in a variety o projects such as buildingcommunity gardens and teaching growing, preservingand ood preparation skills.

Educational InstitutionsSchools, universities and colleges are sites or creativeinitiatives, important research and teaching that supportand infuence changes in the regional ood system. Thedevelopment o procurement policies that prioritizelocal oods have been pioneered by universities whileplanting gardens at elementary schools are places wherechildren can learn about the process o growing oods.At the same time, as centres o learning and research,scientists and other experts at universities can makeimportant contributions in developing and analyzing

practices, policies and technologies that will lead to newinnovations in the ood system.

Consumers and the PublicConsumer demand can be a power ul orce in the oodsystem. Over the past ew decades the demand orconvenience oods and the popularity o dining outhas increased refecting changes in personal and amilyli estyles. At the same time, consumers are expressingan interest in purchasing oods that refect their values.Consumers are asking about where and how our oodis produced along with questions about the working

conditions and incomes o armers, shermen andworkers. In response, changes have been made in theexisting supply chain and markets or new products haveemerged, or instance air trade products, organics,and the labeling o local oods. In addition, success inreducing the amount o ood and ood packaging wasteis dependent on changes in consumer behaviour.

Aligning with Provincial InitiativesKey provincial plans supported by the Regional FoodSystem Strategy include the ollowing:

B.C. Agriculture Plan: Growing a HealthyFuture or B.C. Families (2008)This plan outlines strategies to ensure continueddevelopment and growth o an economically viable andresilient agriculture and ood sector which contributessigni cantly to: the health o residents, climatechange mitigation; environmental sustainability and agrowing B.C. economy. Many o the actions in this plancomplement the direction o other provincial initiatives.


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B.C. Climate Action Plan (2008)The success in achieving the provincial target o a 33per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by2020 and a 80 per cent reduction below 2007 levelsby 2050 depends on our ability to integrate supportinginitiatives in a range o sectors including the oodsystem. The greatest potential to reduce greenhousegases in the ood system will be through changes in

ood procurement policies, new initiatives to reduceood waste and increase recycling, increased e orts in

energy conservation and e ciency, as well as a switch to

renewable sources o energy.

Living Water Smart: British Columbias WaterPlan (2008)The Living Water Smart plan sets the direction or chang-es to water management and water use in B.C. by mod-ernizing the Water Act , protecting stream health andaquatic environments, improving water governance ar-rangements, introducing more fexibility and e eciencyin the water allocation system and regulating groundwater use in priority areas and or large withdrawals.Adaptation to climate change impacts and addressing

pressures placed on water resources rom a growingpopulation and economy are critical to ood production

rom the regions agricultural land and waterways.

Healthy Eating Strategy (2007)The B.C. Healthy Living Alliance developed a HealthyEating Strategy to address key risk actors or chronicdiseases by building the skills and knowledge o individuals that should lead to greater consumptiono vegetables and ruit and decreasing consumption o unhealthy ood and beverage choices while supportingprograms that improve ood access necessary or ahealthy diet. This integrated approach is essential topromote healthy ood and beverage choices that can alsomeet the needs o vulnerable populations.

Coordinating with Other Metro Vancouver PlansThe Sustainability Framework provides a mechanism

or linking the Regional Food System Strategy withother Metro Vancouver plans to make the best use o societys resources and minimize the regions impact onthe environment.

The Regional Food System Strategy includes coordinatedactions with the Regional Growth Strategy and theIntegrated Solid Waste and Resource ManagementPlan. The Regional Growth Strategy ocuses on land usepolicies to guide uture development o the region andcontains policies that protect the regions agriculturalland base and improve the economic viability o

arming. The Integrated Solid Waste and ResourceManagement Plan contains a number o strategies andactions designed to minimize waste in the region whichwill be accomplished through recycling, reuse and therecovery o materials and energy. These include actionsto reduce ood and packaging waste.

There are also links between the Regional Food System

Strategy and other Metro Vancouver plans, speci callythe Drinking Water Management Plan, Liquid WasteManagement Plan, Air Quality Management Plan andthe Parks and Greenways Plan.


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Metro Vancouvers Food System Strategy encompassesve goals and twenty strategies. Examples o actions

currently undertaken by the private sector, communityorganizations, educational institutions and di erentlevels o government are provided under each strategy.A ull list o actions is appended to the Strategy and thisis a dynamic document that will evolve and be urtherdeveloped over time in collaboration with partnersengaged in ongoing process.

Proposed priority actions or collaboration are identi edor each goal that could build momentum or leverage

important changes in the Metro Vancouver ood system.Proposed actions or Metro Vancouver are also presented

or review.

Goal 1: Increased Capacity to ProduceFood Close to Home

Goal 1:

Increased Capacity toProduce Food Close toHome

A strong regional ood system in Metro Vancouver canonly be built i there are viable business opportunitiesor engaging in arming and shing. For agriculture,

expanding capacity requires a secure land base, reliableaccess to labour and a ordable water, and a communitysetting that supports arming. For the shing industry acommitment to management practices that will rebuild

sh populations and habitat is important. Equallyimportant is investing in the next generation o oodproducers. In the more urbanized neighbourhoods o Metro Vancouver there is the potential to produce more

resh ood, build social capital and connectivity amongresidents interested in growing their own ood.

Strategy 1.1 Protect agricultural land or oodproductionThe metropolitan region o Vancouver is experiencingpopulation growth o over 30,000 new residents eachyear. This creates ongoing pressure to exclude lands

rom the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) or urbandevelopment. Perhaps a greater threat to armland inMetro Vancouver is the cumulative e ect o allowinga range o non- arming activities on agricultural landsuch as construction o roads and large estate homes aswell as the lack o en orcement or dumping ll andtruck parking. Prime armland is a limited resource andis essential or ensuring resiliency in the regional oodsystem.

ExAMPLES OF CuRREnT ACTIOnS

The Ministry o Agriculture and Lands isdeveloping arm homeplate standards to limitthe size and location o the residential ootprinton arm lands. The Corporation o Delta alreadyhas a bylaw limiting the size o residences on

armland. The dra t Regional Growth Strategy proposes

that a new regional agricultural designation beadopted that will help protect the regions supplyo agricultural land rom urban development.

The City o Surrey has adopted an ALRcompensation policy that requires any landexcluded rom the ALR be matched, two to one,with an inclusion o new land in the ALR.

Strategy 1.2 Restore fsh habitat and protectsustainable sources o sea oodDramatic fuctuations in salmon populations coupledwith declines in other sh species have been attributedto management policies and practices that did not ade-quately take into account the complexity o orces a ect-ing the health o sh populations including changing

PART TWO:THE STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN

GOALS, STRATEGIES and SAMPLE ACTIONS


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climatic regimes a ecting ocean ecosystems. Attempt-ing to rebuild salmon populations to a consistent abun-dance is a complex undertaking involving many part-ners and actions. Within the Metro Vancouver region,our contribution to this e ort involves protecting andrestoring salmon spawning and rearing habitat in thenetwork o urban streams in the region. Poor land usedecisions combined with storm and rainwater manage-ment that have lead to pollution and drainage issuesthat have contributed to the degradation o habitat.Fish, including salmon, and other sea ood will bene t

rom a reduction in contaminant loadings in streams,rivers and the ocean.


The Paci c Streamkeepers Federation supportslocal community groups involved in restoringstreams through a comprehensive educationand awareness program using a handbook andactivity models that help volunteer citizens tomonitor and evaluate stream conditions.

Metro Vancouver and the Kwikwetlem FirstNation are conducting a three-year study o lakeecology and potential drinking water qualityimpacts associated with the reintroduction o sockeye to the Coquitlam Reservoirs.

Municipalities have completed over 22Integrated Stormwater Management Plans(ISMPs) that will improve the health o urbanstreams. It is anticipated that most o theregions watersheds will have ISMPs by 2014.

Strategy 1.3 Increase commercial oodproductionLand or armers and habitat or sh are essential, butare not the only conditions necessary or increasingcommercial ood production in the region. To producemore ood locally, armers need access to su cientvolumes o water o appropriate quality at a ordableprices. Likewise the success o salmon runs is dependenton maintaining su cient stream fows. Hotter, driersummer months coupled with less snow pack anticipatedunder most climate change scenarios will only increasethe need or coordinated water conservation andmanagement policies i commercial ood operations in

the region are to expand.Labour is another critical input or ood production. Giv-en the seasonality o sh runs and arm production in theregion, the demand or labour is particularly high duringharvest time. This creates swings in the demand or la-bour over the course o a year.

Also important to increasing commercial ood produc-tion is continual management o the tensions that canarise when urban neighbourhoods or rural residentialproperties abut agricultural operations. Conficts thatarise between arming and urban land use can be bet-

ter managed through policies that anticipate contentiousand di cult to resolve issues.

ExAMPLES OF CuRREnT ACTIOnS The City o Pitt Meadows is making

improvements to the rural drainage systemto enhance the supply o irrigation water oragriculture.

The Farm Industry Review Board determinesnormal arm practices, in relation to complaintsby adjacent neighbours, about nuisance issueson arms.

Metro Vancouver is embarking on water useplans or the Capilano and Seymour watershedsthat will explicitly consider water fows required

or sh stocks.

Metro Vancouver is embarking on water use plans orthe Capilano and Seymour watersheds that will explic-itly consider water fows required or sh stocks.

Strategy 1.4 Invest in a new generation o ood producers

The high cost o agricultural land in the regioncoupled with the uncertain pro t margins associatedwith small scale arming has meant ew young peoplechoose arming as a career. This is true or those newto the pro ession, and armers immigrating rom otherregions as well as those who stand to inherit a amily

arm. Innovative policies are needed to attract andretain new entrants into arming while keeping current

arms viable. Prospects or success can be improvedwith better access to land and applied research intosustainable arming practices.


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Kwantlen Polytechnic University has developeda training program that provides practicalknowledge, arm skills, apprenticeship and landleasing opportunities or new armers throughtheir new Farm School in Richmond.

The Fraser Valley Direct Marketing Associationhas developed a Former Farmer to Farmermentorship program.

BC Agriculture Council established BC YoungFarmers in 2008 to provide a orum or young

armers to interact, address issues o concern,learn rom one another and gain experiencein association governance and the collectivedecision-making process.

Strategy 1.5 Encourage urban agricultureIn addition to rural agriculture, there are opportunitiesto increase ood production on private and public landsin urbanized areas. Community gardens and urban

arms are using public lands to cultivate ood whilesome enterprising individuals are arming networks o private gardens. The yields o these projects are eithersold or used personally. Some community groups areusing urban gardens as a means to teach disadvantagedgroups how to produce and eat healthy oods. Urbanagriculture also provides community and ecological

bene ts; it contributes to the development o a senseo place, provides colour and so tens the concretelandscape o urban neighborhoods and contributes tothe ecological health o the region.


The City o Vancouver is leading severalurban agriculture initiatives including theestablishment o numerous community gardenson city land, allowing people to raise chickens intheir backyards, and continuing to host the CityFarmer in ormation hub and demonstration

garden. The City o Richmond has developed zoning

that permits community gardens, roo toparming, ruit trees and other edible landscapes

in suitable urban locations. The EcoUrbia Network is building community

arms on abandoned or underutilized tractso land on the North Shore, hiring armers togrow local organic ood or sale and then usinga portion o the proceeds to actively engageresidents on ood issues.


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GOAL 1 PROPOSED PRIORITy ACTIOnS FORCOLLAbORATIOn

Reduce agricultural land speculation byapplying value capture mechanisms or thebene t and compensation o agriculture whenALR land is converted to non arm use.

Create a Regional Farmland Trust that could beused to purchase armland or sale, in or out o the ALR, to lease to armers, especially youngones, who cannot a ord the purchase price.The Trust could be arranged by the pooling o private and public resources.

Determine avenues to make water morea ordable and accessible to agriculture.

Develop land use inventories o public lands,including parks, boulevards, right-o -ways,and roo tops that could be used or urbanagriculture and ollow with an assessment o how to balance agricultural and conservationalvalues. In the case o parks, recreational valueswill also need to be considered.

Goal 1 Proposed Actions

GOAL 1 PROPOSED METRO VAnCOuVER ACTIOnS

Monitor and maintain indicators and othermeasures related to trends in agricultural landand ood production in the region and publishthe results.


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Goal 2: Enhanced Role of Food Sector inthe Regional Economy

Goal 2:Enhanced Role of FoodSector in the RegionalEconomy

The ood sector is an important pillar o the regionaleconomy, but it is not generally recognized as such. Oneout o eight jobs in Metro Vancouver is related to theproduction and processing o local oods or in the oodservice sector. The economic contribution o the oodsector could be strengthened with a supportive policy

ramework and strategic collaboration in lling theweak spots in the regional supply chain. Expanding thelocal component o the ood sector will contribute tothe economic prosperity o the region (see sidebar). Thepotential to grow the regional ood economy requiresbuilding the capacity, including new or renewedin rastructure, or more value added production, storageand distribution in the region.

The Multiplier E ectEvery time money is spent on ood producedlocally, as opposed to spending on oodimported rom elsewhere, it boosts localincomes and economic activity. This is becausea locally owned business is more likely topurchase what it needs rom local suppliers whowill then also have more to spend locally. Whenmore consumers buy locally this creates new

jobs, higher incomes or ood producers andnew investment opportunities.

The local ood multiplier or Metro Vancouverhas not been estimated but a study done o the local ood economy in Seattle ound thatshi ting 20 per cent o ood dollars into locallydirected spending would inject nearly $1billion into the regions economy each year. Thisimpact is demonstrated in the production sector,where ood grown by local armers or exportgenerates $1.70 in local economic activity

or every dollar in sales. However, i the samearmer sells at a armers market, each dollar in

sales will generate $2.80 in local income. 12

Strategy 2.1 Address the capacity o processing, warehousing and distributinglocal oodsThe agriculture and shing sectors in the region arecharacterized by smaller scale operations that are unableto deliver the volume o products required by buyersin the export markets. To sell more o their producelocally and more o it year round, there needs to bemore acilities or processing arm and sh products aswell as more capacity or warehousing and distribution.Building this capacity will test the business acumen o

rms in the supply chain and it will also require greater

12 Sonntag, V. (2008) Why Local Linkages Matter: Findings rom theLocal Food Economy Study. Seattle, Washington. Sustainable Seattle.


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collaboration between the public and private sector todevelop the networks and the nancial tools necessaryto attract new investment in the development o in rastructure. Even with the acilities in place, processesand protocols will have to be developed to assure thesa ety and the ability to trace sources o ood productsand ingredients when handling the diversi ed arm and

sh products coming rom the small to medium sizeoperations in the region.


Local Food First is leading a multi-party initiativeto build the New City Market which will serveas a commercial hub or storage, processing andselling o local oods in Vancouver.

Several government, private sector andeducational institutions are partnering tocreate a virtual B.C. Agri Food Centre websitethat provides ood businesses with access toresearch and expertise on new productiontechnologies, product development, marketingand operational management.

Strategy 2.2 Secure markets or local oodsthrough institutional purchasing decisionsThe local component o the regions ood supply isrelatively small. Establishing pre erences or locallyproduced and processed oods in the procurementpolicies o large institutional buyers o ood, likehospitals, universities, schools and local governmentscan help establish secure markets or local oods.Purchasing more local ood will involve collaborationamong purchasers, ood distributors and local producers

in identi ying existing capacities and opportunities orexpansion. This will be an iterative process but doingso will assure potential investors, rom the private orsocial enterprise sectors, that investment in local oodbusinesses and in rastructure is nancially sound. Theimplementation o local ood procurement policies willhave to respect various trade agreements including theNorth American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) andthe Trade, Investment, Labour Mobility Agreement(TILMA).


The University o Victoria has adopted aprocurement policy based on a quadruplebottom line, which includes carbon ootprintconsiderations, that covers all its purchases,including ood.

Local Food Plus has success ully encouragedinstitutional buyers to purchase ood certi edas local and sustainable in Ontario and is nowexpanding their scope to include the LowerMainland.

The University o British Columbia is workingwith the City o Vancouver and VancouverCoastal Health to develop common languageand criteria to be used or sustainable oodprocurement.

P h o t o : M i n i s t r y o f A g r i c u l t u r e a n d L a n d s


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Strategy 2.3 Increase opportunities or directmarketing o local oodsAnother venue or small scale ood producers andprocessors to sell their products is direct marketing.Expanding the opportunities or direct marketinginvolves policy changes that enable on- arm activities,like processing and sales, agri-tourism, as well ascommitments to multi-vendor sites like armersmarkets. Other initiatives such as community supportedagriculture (CSAs) help reduce the risk or participating

armers. Direct marketing is an opportunity to connect

urban residents with those that grow and harvest theiroods. In addition to providing a venue or selling morelocal ood products, direct marketing o ers a means

or urban residents to become more amiliar with thepeople who produce their oods.


The Fraser Valley Farm Direct MarketingAssociation distributes a Farm Fresh Guidewhich lists arms that sell directly to consumers.

Community groups working with local armersand processors have established armers marketsin West Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam, MapleRidge, Delta, Langley City, New Westminster,North Vancouver, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody,Surrey, Vancouver and White Rock.

Metro Vancouver and Simon Fraser Universityallow pocket armers markets to operatewithin their premises, to provide employeesand others the opportunity to buy arm reshproduce and locally produced ood productswhile introducing new market venues or oodproducers and processors.

Strategy 2.4 Further develop value chainswithin the ood sectorA value chain re ers to a collaborative approach inbringing a product among producers, processors,distributors or retailers to bring a product to market.A value chain produces a ood item that responds to theethical and environmental values o consumers, such asan equitable return or armers or air trade, sa e workingconditions and air pay or arm workers, humanetreatment o animals, and speci c environmentalpractices including organic production. So the creation

o a value chain may be in response to perceived nichemarkets or to increase the e ciencies among small scale

rms. The e ect is to reduce some o the risk o eachrm while improving pro t margins all along the value

chain. This is in contrast to the conventional supplychain where competition all along the supply chaintends to produce standardized products at the lowestpossible price or the consumer.

ExAMPLES OF CuRREnT ACTIOn

Investment Agriculture Foundation o B.C. issupporting the development o value chains

or di erentiated products in the ood sectorthrough the B.C. Value Chain Initiative.

Sysco and Gordon Food Services (Neptune) havedeveloped contracts with local producers orrestaurants who want to pro le local oods.


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Strategy 2.5 Expand the opportunities toexperience local oods and the diversity o cuisinesExperiencing local ood is one o the best ways todevelop a passion or it. Through estivals celebratingharvests rom the land and sea and di erent cuisines,we learn about the seasonality o local oods, new andhealthier ways to prepare oods and the joy o sharing ameal. Creating and promoting these events build newnetworks in the regional ood system, among armers,

shermen, che s, community groups, media and local

governments. Once amiliar with how to prepare localoods or committed to using more local products,consumers want to be able to nd these productswhere they shop so they want to be clearly labeled insupermarkets and restaurants.


Municipalities in the Fraser Valley have createdthe Circle Farm Tours which are maps o localspecialty arm-gate vendors, open air markets,eateries, heritage sites and airs. These are sel -guided tours.

Vancouvers Powell Street Festival, NorthVancouvers Party at the Pier, Flavours o SurreyFestival, Stevestons Salmon Festival, BowFeaston Bowen Island, and Langleys Eat LocalFestival are a short list o the variety o ood

estivals in the region. A wide number o grocers are identi ying local

oods through labels, in store signs and displays. Get Local Metro Vancouver has a website that

provides in ormation on how to nd and chooselocal oods.


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26 Regional Food System Strategy Aug 16 layout draft


Establish a Centre o Excellence or FoodTechnology similar to what exists in otherprovinces.

Create cooperative service centres thatprovide business planning, marketing andadministrative support to new businesses inthe ood sector.

Develop a regional brand and label or oodproduced in Metro Vancouver.

Support the development o a BC ood terminalto enhance the opportunities or local armersto get their produce into the conventionalsupply chain.


Investigate options to create a regional undor ood system in rastructure improvements

related to irrigation/drainage or capitalinvestments in the local ood value chain.

Work with municipalities to identi yAgricultural Enterprise Zones, outside theALR, where revitalization tax exemptionsand comprehensive zoning could be used toencourage the co-location o agriculture relatedbusinesses and services, including agriculturalsupport services and value-added production.

Create special events in regional parksthroughout the growing season to highlightin-season produce and provide opportunities

or direct marketing o local oods.



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Goal 3: Healthy and Sustainable FoodChoices

Goal 3: Healthy and SustainableFood Choices

Despite the variety o ood available in grocery storesand restaurants and its relatively low cost or mostpeople, there is a disturbing rise in the incidence o dietrelated chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovasculardisease and cancer. Making better ood choices is key toreversing this trend. Healthier diets will contribute toour overall health and well-being while reducing strainson the health care system.

Consumers are beginning to ask more questions aboutthe ood they eat; about its nutritional value and howgrowing and harvesting practices a ect the environment.Improving consumer in ormation about local andimported oods, expanding education opportunities andsupporting community engagement activities can leadto healthier people and a healthier planet.

Strategy 3.1 Enable residents to makehealthy ood choicesEating a well-balanced and nutritious diet is one o thebest ways to stay healthy. Due to a variety o actorsthough, many households rely on eating prepared oodsat home or on meals rom ast ood restaurants. The longterm e ect o this trend is poorer diets and lost knowledgeo how to prepare healthy meals rom scratch. Initiativesto support individuals interested in improving theirshopping and ood preparation skills are important.However, due to time and other constraints, using pre-packaged or processed oods will continue to be a part

o everyday cooking, so the nutritional content o theood we purchase and eat needs to be better understood.

Making it easier to identi y the healthy ood optionsrom labels and menus is critical especially in a region

where English is not everyones rst language.


Provincial Health Authority o BC has produceda Food Security Gateway, website or individualsand community groups interested in makinghealthy eating the easy choice and building

ood secure communities. The Canadian Diabetes Association and other

health organizations o er educational programsthat teach people about cooking, preservingseasonal ood and preparing healthy meals suchas Cooking Food or Families, Food Skills orFamilies and Cooking or Li e.

The Super Che program recruits youth romlow income households to participate in summercamps that ocus on how to select and prepare

ood or a nutritious diet.

Strategy 3.2 Communicate how ood choicessupport sustainabilityThinking about how the ood on our plate is connectedto a much bigger system o ood production, distributionand disposal is likely not top o mind or consumers whileshopping or dinner. However empowering consumerswith relevant in ormation about how their ood choicesinfuence their health as well as the sustainability o the regional ood system can make a di erence. Buying

ood grown or harvested locally will contribute to theviability o local ood producers and the prosperity o the regional economy. Support or local ood productsalso build resiliency o our ood supplies in the ace o pressures on the global ood system, including risingenergy prices, climate change and declining sh stocks.


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Through the Ocean Wiseor Sea Choiceprogramsconsumers can access in ormation about thesustainability o sea ood available locally tomake in ormed decisions about the sh they eatat home or in restaurants.

The Che s Table Society o BC is active inpromoting sustainable and local ood choicesamong its members.

Overwaitea Food Group and Loblaws have

developed their own sustainable sea ood policiesthat incorporates scienti c research on shstocks.

Strategy 3.3 Enhance ood literacy and skillsin schoolsYoung people who have a greater awareness o howtheir ood is produced, the health implications o the

ood they eat and other aspects o the ood system willbe better equipped to make in ormed ood choicesin the short and long-term. Food literacy is essentialto building a sustainable, resilient and healthy oodsystem. This work begins with ensuring that the nextgeneration is more connected to the ood that they eat how to buy, grow and prepare healthy ood. For parents

trying to provide healthier and more sustainable meals,school programs can help to support their e orts.


UBC is conducting research that enriches astudents experience in connecting ood, healthand the environment through the Think & EatGreen@ School Program.

Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation hostsworkshops or educators, provides teachers withhigh quality print and video resources andconducts programs or schools such as Spuds inTubs and Take a Bite o BC.

Evergreen and the Environmental Youth Allianceare helping to establish edible schoolyard gardenand provide educational materials or teachers.


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Develop common messaging that linksconsumption o local oods to the viabilityo agriculture, sheries and ood processingbusinesses in the region.

Provide better nutritional quality in ormationon packaged and prepared oods thoughlabeling or other innovative technologies.

Develop creative school programs that willengage students and their amilies about thehealth bene ts o increasing the amount o

ruits and vegetables consumed.


Continue to eature di erent aspects o theood system in video documentaries produced

by Greater Vancouver TV. Continue the annual Agriculture Awareness

unding grant program or non pro torganizations.



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Goal 4: Access to Healthy, CulturallyDiverse and Affordable Food for Everybody

Goal 4: Access to Healthy,Culturally Diverse andAffordable Food forEverybody

Within Metro Vancouver there are people who do nothave access to healthy ood. For low income households,the challenge is paying or the high cost o housingand having enough disposable income to purchasethe ood necessary or a healthy diet. Incorporatinga ood perspective into community planning canbegin to address physical barriers to accessing oodwhile addressing hunger associated with poverty,low incomes and high housing costs will require arenewed commitment o senior levels o government toprovide resources and policy support. In the meantime,community groups across the region are involved ininnovative and e ective projects to improve ood accessat the neighborhood level. Addressing ood access willhave to take into account varying individual pre erencesas well as cultural norms and religious requirements

related to ood. This is particularly important in aregion where most o the new population growth willcome rom immigration.

Strategy 4.1 Improve ood access throughpolicy and community designDeveloping ood riendly neighborhoods are importantin developing complete and healthy communities.Ensuring that there are adequate venues to buy nutritious

oods, gardens and ruit trees, local ood estivals andcelebrations are important or building stronger andmore vibrant neighbourhoods. In addition, communitycentres can become important hubs or learning aboutcanning, preserving and cooking as well as ood issues.These planning initiatives can also be supplemented bypolicies that expand the access to healthier oods.


The Fraser Valley Food Network has developeda Food Policy Toolkit to provide localorganizations with simple ways to incorporate

ood policy guidelines into decision making. Itaddresses increasing local ood sustainability,decreasing hunger through community capacitybuilding, and improving nutritional health o community members.

The Surrey/White Rock Food Action Coalition,Burnaby Food First Network, New WestminsterCommunity Food Action Committee, DeltaFood Coalition, Langley Food Action Coalition,Richmond Food Security Group, Maple Ridge,Pitt Meadows & Katzie Roundtable on FoodSecurity, and the Vancouver Food Policy Councilprovide a community orum or discussing oodsystem issues, developing local projects andproposing policy solutions.

The City o Vancouver is developing policies toexpand healthy ood access in underserved areaso the city and has established a CommunityUrban Agriculture Fund to supportneighbourhood ood security groups.

The Provincial Health Services Authorityproduced A Seat at the Table to provide localgovernments examples o policies to improve

ood security.


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Strategy 4.2 Improve access to nutritiousood among vulnerable groups

Vulnerable groups include the homeless, low incomehouseholds, and seniors with low xed incomes. Researchlinks hunger and poverty to higher rates o disease andlow li e expectancy. Moreover, the overlapping cycles o poverty and hunger negatively impact early childhooddevelopment, can add to mental health problems andsocial exclusion making it much more di cult orcommunities and amilies to contribute to and ullyexperience the advantages o living in Metro Vancouver.

Region-wide 26 per cent o all household have an annualincome below $30,000 13. While addressing the rootso poverty are beyond the scope o this Strategy, oodaccess can be improved through actions that expandthe opportunities to access resh oods and improve theskills people have in growing, preparing and canningtheir own ood. Building ood sel -reliance in vulnerableneighbourhoods will generate personal and communitybene ts.


Vancouver Coastal Health has a variety o programs and initiatives addressing ood accessissues or low income and high nutritional riskclients, including Meals to You (subsidizedMeals on Wheels) and Food Security Networkswhich enable residents to take action on local

ood access issues including establishingcommunity gardens and kitchens.

The Golden Ears Food Education and ActionStrategy Table (FEAST) is developing a seniors

ood resource guide and outreach initiativesto address seniors ood access issues in Maple

Ridge and Pitt Meadows. The Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society

unds Fresh Choices Kitchen which providesleadership training, workshops on topics likecanning, and courses or ood handlers.

13 Metro Vancouver Housing Data Book, February 2010. Data romStatistics Canada.

Strategy 4.3 Enable non proft organizationsto recover nutritious oodFood banks, the Salvation Army, Meals on Wheels andothers have been eeding the homeless and economicallychallenged or decades in Metro Vancouver but thedemand or their services continues to grow. Foodrecovery initiatives will be important in helping toaddress ood needs. Food recovery entails the collectiono edible and sa e ood or distribution to vulnerablepopulations. It can take several orms including oodgleaning and perishable ood rescue. Gleaning re ers to

the collection o crops rom armers elds that are notgoing to be brought to market due to harvesting methodsor low market prices. Perishable ood rescue applies tothe collection o over-ripe produce at ood wholesalersand retailers. Concerted e ort to expand both activitieswhile assuring the ood sa ety could improve the dietso people dependent on ood programs.


The Richmond Fruit Tree Sharing Project,Vancouver Fruit Tree Project, North ShoreFruit Tree Project and the Surrey Food Banks

Gleaning Project organize volunteers to harvesthealthy produce rom private residences, armsand trees on public lands to redistribute tohouseholds in need.

Quest Outreach Society is British Columbiaslargest ood exchange program. Using volunteersit collects quality ood, including overstock,mislabelled, or near-expired products thatwould otherwise go to waste, and redistributesit to those in need.

The BC Food Processor Association publicly

recognizes philanthropy in the ood systemthrough their Giving Back Program.


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Develop guidelines or including communitygardens, appropriate kitchen acilities andother programs that will improve ood accessand diets among households living in socialhousing.

Address barriers related to ood sa etyregulations and requirements that will enablethe redistribution o sa e, nutritious and edible

oods. Support the development o community ood

centres like Torontos The Stop. It is a placewhere community members share and learnskills, including growing and cooking resh

oods and how to advocate or improved accessto good ood.


Continue to work with tenant associationsin Metro Vancouver Housing Corporationcomplexes to establish kitchen acilities andcommunity gardens.

Co-host a workshop to share in ormation onbest practices in municipal ood policy.



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Goal 5: A Food System Consistent withEcological Health

Goal 5: A Food System Consistentwith Ecological Health

Producing ood rom agricultural lands and harvestingsh and sea ood rom the marine and reshwaters o

the region is dependent on healthy and unctioningecosystems. Yet some conventional practices used inthe ood sector undermine the ecological health o theregion and require better environmentally sustainablepractices.

Taking a proactive approach to reducing waste in theood system can signi cantly reduce the demand or

water, materials and energy resources. Equally importantis to address greenhouse gas emissions and the impactso global warming on the regional ood system. Actingon a commitment to sustaining the environment shouldbe publicized as it will appeal to consumers locally andabroad.

Strategy 5.1 Enhance ecosystem goodsand services rom, and or, ood productionsystemsWe derive bene ts rom healthy unctioning ecosystems,called ecosystem services which include the provisiono ood, natural water puri cation, clean air, nutrientcycling, climate regulation, pollination, and wildli ehabitat. Because these services are generally notrecognized in the market system they are susceptibleto unintentional negative impacts associated withpopulation growth and economic development. From

the perspective o the Regional Food System Strategy,it is particularly important to enhance the ecosystemgoods and services provided by,

Documents

Draft Regional Food System Strategy for Metro Vancouver - September 2010