[WRFoodNews] June 29, 2009 Waterloo Region Food System update

[xmarc at region.waterloo.on.ca]

Please find below the latest update on Waterloo Region's food system as
described on the website of the Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable at
www.wrfoodsystem.ca.

1. Council Approves Regional Official Plan
On June 16, 2009, Regional Council approved the final draft of the Regional
Official Plan (ROP), with a few amendments which asked the province to
defer approval of certain sections.  Council voted to ask the province to
defer approval of the Protected Countryside designation until further
public consultations with affected landowners are conducted in the Fall.
The new section on Access to Healthy and Local Food was approved as part of
the motion approving the entire document.  For more details, see
http://www.wrfoodsystem.ca/index.php?p=forum/view_thread&thread_id=10274&post_id=10277
 .

2. 100-Mile Diet Challenge Starts this Weekend
Two Naturopaths from Waterloo are leading a campaign to have 100 people
take the 100-Mile Diet Challenge for 100 days.  The group will start the
challenge this Saturday, July 4, and finish on Thanksgiving weekend.
Healing Path Naturopathic Clinic is hosting a blog with ideas for how to
source local grains, meats, and legumes, and is organizing a number of
events to demonstrate some of the cooking and preserving skills needed to
make local eating easire.  See their events on our Upcoming Events page,
and their blog at http://www.healingpathcentre.com/blog/index.php .  If you
live in Cambridge, you might want to connect with the staff at the
Musagetes Architecture Library (the University of Waterloo's Architecture
school), who are challenging themselves and their community to eat locally
this season.  See their blog at http://eat-local-library.blogspot.com/ .

3. New "Plumbline" Listserve
I'm not really sure how new this list is, but it's new to me, and it's a
great source of food news!  Compiled by Elbert Van Donkersgoed, formerly of
the GTA Agricultural Action Committee, this list serves up a digest of
local food stories and research from around the world every few days.  Like
this WRFoodNews list, it contains a couple of lines about a story with a
link to more information if you want it.  To subscribe to it or just try it
out, see the Resources/Links section of the Roundtable's website:
http://www.wrfoodsystem.ca/index.php?p=41 .

4. Food Inc. - the movie - coming to Waterloo's Princess Theatre
Plan to see the latest film by documentary filmmaker Robert Kenner between
July 25th and 30th in Waterloo.  The film uses reports by Fast Food Nation
author Eric Schlosser and The Omnivore's Dilemma author Michael Pollan as a
springboard to exploring where the food we purchase at the grocery store
really comes from, and what it means for the health of future generations.
For showtimes, see http://www.princesscinemas.com/film/?id=1635 . To see
movie trailer and official film information, see
http://www.foodincmovie.com/ .

5. New Online Buying Club for Local and Organic Products
A collective of local, organic farmers in the region of Waterloo have
partnered with The Working Centre (TWC) in Kitchener to launch an online
market and buying club. Local residents will be able to order local,
organic produce as well as meats, dairy, value added products and bulk dry
goods and pick up at TWC every Wednesday. The online market will go live on
the Friday and close on the Monday prior to Wednesday pick-ups. Check out
the TWC’s website for more details at
http://www.theworkingcentre.org/ct/food/buying-club/buying-club.html .

6. Upcoming Food Events
Full details on upcoming food-related events in Waterloo Region can be
viewed under "Upcoming Events" on the Roundtable's website (
http://www.wrfoodsystem.ca/index.php?p=9 ).  To share news of your event,
email details to xmarc at region.waterloo.on.ca, and I will post it to the
website.  Some upcoming highlights include:

Sunday July 5, 1pm - 100-Mile Diet Challenge Kick-off Potluck Picnic,
Oakridge Acres Farm, Ayr
Saturday July 11, 1pm - 100-Mile Diet Cooking Class, Clay & Glass Gallery,
Waterloo
Monday Jul 13, 7pm - 100-Mile Breadmaking Workshop, Golden Hearth Bakery,
Kitchener
July 25-30 - Food Inc, Princess Cinema, Waterloo

Marc Xuereb
staff support to the Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable
c/o 99 Regina St S, 3rd Floor
Waterloo, ON N2J 4V3
tel: 519.883.2004 x.5872
email: xmarc at region.waterloo.on.ca