Ontario Seeking Public Input on a Food Security Strategy
Province Supporting Access to Sufficient, Safe, Nutritious and Culturally Appropriate Food for Everyone in Ontario
April 19, 2017 1:00 P.M.
Ontario is asking people and organizations across the province to share their ideas and help shape a provincial Food Security Strategy.
Food security is achieved when people have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate food that meets their dietary needs. Despite the province having one of the world’s best food systems, there are still more than 595,000 households in Ontario that don’t have that access.
Ontario’s vision is a province where every person is food secure, to support them in leading healthy and active lives.
People across Ontario are invited to share their ideas on a Food Security Strategy at Ontario.ca/foodsecurity. The engagement will focus on four themes:
- Empowered communities with custom-made solutions
- Integrated food initiatives that use knowledge to drive collective impact
- Food security is about more than food
- Driving innovation.
Chris Ballard, Minister of Housing and Minister Responsible for the Poverty Reduction Strategy will also be leading in-person discussions across the province on the development of the strategy, which will emphasise community-led approaches to achieving food security and working together with all partners to develop solutions.
Ensuring that everyone in Ontario has access to sufficient, safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate food is part of our plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.
Quick Facts
- Ontario’s Food Security Strategy is part of the province’s Poverty Reduction Strategy, which aims to create a province where every person has the opportunity to achieve his or her full potential and contribute to a prosperous and healthy Ontario.
- Public engagement on the province’s Food Security Strategy begins today and concludes on May 31, 2017.
- Ontario households spend approximately 9 per cent of their disposable income on food.
- Rates of food insecurity are especially high for recent immigrants to Canada, racialized people, single female parents and Indigenous persons. People living in rural and remote areas can also be disproportionately impacted by food insecurity.
Additional Resources
- Discussion Paper: Building Ontario’s First Food Security Strategy
- Poverty Reduction Strategy (Annual Report 2016)
- Local Poverty Reduction Fund
- Realizing Our Potential: Ontario’s Poverty Reduction Strategy
Quotes
“In a province as prosperous as Ontario, every family deserves the security of knowing they’ll come home to food on their table. That’s why we’re engaging sector experts, Indigenous partners, and other people across the province to develop a provincial food security strategy that will help remove barriers and improve access to sufficient, safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate food for Ontario families.”
“Ontario’s agri-food sector is always looking at ways to get more local food on Ontarians’ plates and taking steps to support Ontario families. Recognizing the generosity of our farm community, our government introduced the Community Food Program Donation Tax Credit to support farmers who donate nutritious food to Ontarians who need it most. Working together with farmers, food processors, retailers, food service organizations, and communities across Ontario, we can help to promote the safe, high-quality, local food grown here in our province for Ontarians.”
“Indigenous communities deserve equal access to affordable, nutritious and sustainable food. Our government recognizes that community driven solutions are vital in overcoming challenges and barriers to food security. Through this engagement Ontario will develop a food security strategy reflective of the needs of Indigenous communities.”
Media Contacts
Theresa Lubowitz
Minister’s Office
[email protected]
(416) 585-7647
Joshua Henry
Communications Branch
[email protected]
(416) 325-5760
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