Food Policy

Advocate for “joined-up” food policies at local, provincial, and federal levels of government and monitor their implementation

Food Policy
Influence national, provincial and municipal food policy

Various policies affect how food is produced, distributed and sold in Canada, but no comprehensive food strategy or policy exists at any level of government which aims to ensure that healthy, environmentally-sustainable food is available to everyone.

Background/Context
A growing number of groups are pressing for this to change in Canada, and the Roundtable encourages Waterloo Region residents to join this campaign.  The People’s Food Policy Project is one example of a project to develop a Canadian food policy to present to the Canadian government.  The Liberal Party of Canada has taken some steps toward formulating a food policy as part of its party platform.  The goal of developing a food policy for Canada was given a boost by the recent release of the United Kingdom’s new food strategy.

While comprehensive policies have yet to be developed, several policies affecting the food system already exist, and implementation of the positive ones needs to be monitored.  In Waterloo Region, the food policies of the Regional Official Plan are new and should be monitored to ensure that they are having their intended effects.