Release of the Ontario Food and Nutrition Strategy
Posted: January 23, 2017
Categories: GoodFoodBites / News from Sustain Members
The Ontario Food and Nutrition Strategy Launch: January 2017
(Guelph, Ontario) – The Ontario Food and Nutrition Strategy (OFNS), a comprehensive evidence-informed plan for healthy food and food systems in Ontario, was launched at a multi-stakeholder event at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food offices in Guelph on January 24th!
The Ontario Food and Nutrition Strategy is vital to coordinate the complex and interconnected relationships between food systems, health, and well-being. The strategy aims to promote holistic health and well-being; reduce the burden of obesity and chronic disease on people in Ontario and the Ontario healthcare system; and strengthen the Ontario economy and the resilience of food systems. The Ontario Food and Nutrition Strategy was initiated by the Ontario Collaborative Group for Healthy Eating and Physical Activity in 2009 and a dedicated OFNS group completed the Action Plan in 2014 and the evidence-informed plan being released today.
Due to the interconnected nature of food systems, a whole-system perspective is critical for creating a healthy and sustainable food environment. Food systems include everything from food production and procurement, to food processing, food distribution, food access, food literacy, food consumption, farmland preservation and stewardship, and waste management. Therefore, the strategy was developed in collaboration with many experts and stakeholders representing agriculture, food, health, First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities, and organizations from sectors spanning not-for- profit, public health, academia and government. The Ontario Food and Nutrition Strategy development has been guided by feedback from over 200 individuals and groups.
The Ontario Food and Nutrition Strategy identifies clear, specific policy options that can support current initiatives and inform future food and health policy directions at the provincial and national level.
The OFNS highlights 25 priority action areas, housed within 3 strategic directions:
1. Healthy Food Access
2. Food Literacy & Skills
3. Healthy Food Systems
The vision of the OFNS is to create a productive, equitable, and sustainable food system that supports the health and well-being of all people in Ontario.
Read more about the strategy here.
If you are interested in getting involved, contact us at ofns@sustainontario.ca