A JUST, SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT FOOD SYSTEM FOR ONTARIO IS ON THE TABLE THIS PROVINCIAL ELECTION.
WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT OUR CANDIDATES ARE THINKING.
There is a lot at stake in this first post-COVID provincial election. One of the most striking impacts of the pandemic has been how quickly and severely it highlighted the problem of food insecurity in Ontario, including challenging issues about the food supply chain and the number of Ontarians unable to afford both food and rent. The federal government has moved forward on many food system issues in the last few years, and internationally, the UN is increasingly emphasizing the connections between our unsustainable food systems and climate change. There are so many opportunities for new laws, policies and structures to improve our food systems. For example, tackling food waste (over 60 per cent of food in Ontario is lost or wasted) would also preserve not only the wasted water, soil and labour, but also prevent the tonnes of climate harming methane that results from food rotting in landfills.
How can voters interested in moving us toward a resilient, just and sustainable food system find out the positions of our candidates on these issues?
The answers can be found as a result of the Vote On Food and Farming survey organized by Sustain Ontario and circulated by, among others, the many Food Policy Councils working in Ontario, including the volunteer-based Ottawa Food Policy Council. The survey asks candidates to answer 12 questions which reveal how they intend to demonstrate their commitment to Good Food for All as members of Provincial Parliament. Good Food is “fresh, accessible, affordable, culturally relevant, minimally processed, as local as possible, ecologically grown and produced/processed/distributed in such a way as to support just and sustainable livelihoods.”
The results are posted online for voters to consult: ofpc-cpao.ca/voteonfood
These 12 questions cover a variety of issues that are critical to us as residents on a daily basis. This includes MPPs work directly on all aspects of the food system, with an equity lens. In terms of law and policy, it asks about preserving Ontario farmland and protecting it from sprawl, speculation and commodification; training and long-term access to farmland for new farmers; and incentivising and supporting sustainable food production practices (including community gardens on public lands!) It talks about justice by strengthening protections for migrant farm workers as well as the range of often other underpaid and racialized workers throughout the food system from production through to restaurant workers. It provides candidates the chance to show how as government actors they can walk the talk by encouraging public sector purchasing of local food and farm products. In terms of education, it inquires about positions on healthy school food programs and food literacy education in grades K-12. On the burning issue of food insecurity, assessing whether social assistance rates include the cost of a nutritious food basket in all regions. It addresses the link between food and tackling human health issues like the growing obesity crisis and related health links. It also addresses institutional change such as establishing a Provincial Food Policy Council ( to connect to Federal Food Policy Advisory Council recently created, and municipal food policy councils.)
A resilient, just and sustainable food system would provide enormous health, economic, social and environmental benefits for all Ontarians. It would increase food security, achieve food justice, preserve soils, enhance the economic and social realities of farmers, tackle climate change, and reduce healthcare costs. If you want your vote to help move Ontario toward a better food system for all, this information is crucial. If you don’t see answers yet for the candidate you want to vote for, let them know this information is critical to you.
Heather McLeod-Kilmurray
Heather is a Professor of Law at University of Ottawa and a member of the Ottawa Food Policy Council