Let’s continue to transform Ontario’s food system together in 2014!
Posted: December 17, 2013
Categories: News from Sustain Ontario
The holiday season is a time to celebrate the year’s harvest with friends and family. It is a time to reflect on all the good work we’ve done and to share the fruits of our labour together.
As part of our celebration, Sustain Ontario would like to share some of the successes we’ve achieved together as an alliance this year.
The Local Food Act (Bill 36) was passed unanimously on November 5th with some significant amendments put forward by Sustain Ontario and its members:
- The definition of “Local Food” was changed to include “Forest and Freshwater Foods.”
- A tax credit for farmers who contribute to community food programs (not just food banks!) was established.
- Increasing food literacy with respect to local food was included as one of the goals of the Bill.
The Bring Food Home conference took place in Windsor, Ontario with over 450 participants in attendance. We had representatives from all four political parties, including Minister of Child and Youth Services Teresa Piruzza, speak to the importance of diverse food issues including new farmers, student nutrition and First Nations food sovereignty. The expansive program was made possible by the contributions of the generous conference sponsors and organizing partners.
Sustain Ontario members convened, consulted and collaborated to inform government on issues such as:
- meat regulations to better suit niche meat processors and farmers;
- labeling and regional designation programs to promote local food more effectively;
- barriers to social enterprise and social finance for food and farm enterprises;
- food literacy and food access to increase health and reduce the impacts of poverty with the Ontario Edible Education Network.
Despite these accomplishments, we still have a lot of work to do!
As you celebrate your winter holidays, Sustain Ontario invites you 
to join us in imagining a holiday meal in which every Ontarian can share the bounty of this province; one in which we know that the food we eat and share was produced in a sustainable and humane manner by farmers and workers who earn a decent income.
Please join us by becoming a Sustain Ontario supporter or by connecting with one of our member organizations. Together, we can transform Ontario’s food system.