Foundation for Building Sustainable Communities
Brief description of your organization or business.
The Foundation for Building Sustainable Communities‘ mission is to cultivate sustainable sensibilities. FBSC engages community by encouraging simple actions that lead to a sustainable and healthy way of living by hosting fairs and festivals throughout the year to demonstrate how easy and fun it is being an environmentalist.
The Foundation for Building Sustainable Communities is implementing the Reelfood Program, a community outreach initiative that teaches the benefits of local planting and harvesting fresh, organic fruits, berries, herbs and vegetables. The Reelfood Program is designed to promote healthy lifestyles by screening food documentaries, teaching the merits of growing and eating locally produced foods, integrating the following:
- Encouraging community gardens and backyard/home gardening;
- Promoting educational workshops ie. planting, caring, and canning/preserving
- Developing resources: support and mentorship
- Demonstrating tasty, fresh foods
The Reelfood Program’s first project is the Windfields Community Gardens, a ten acre plot of land with a house which is being developed.
What do you think are the most pressing food and agriculture issues facing Ontario?
Lack of public knowledge to grow, harvest, preserve and cook their own meals.
The loss of arable land to housing and urban sprawl, lack of protection and preservation farmland, and the general lack of knowledge by Ontarians about food security, food related issues and agricultural policies.
What policies could best address these issues?
The policies that could best address these issues are:
1. Advocate for the preservation and protection of farmland; and
2. Encouraging a self-reliance society;
What role do you see Sustain Ontario playing to address these issues?
As a province-wide organization, Sustain Ontario could play a strong role in partnering with other provincial groups, create a food coalition, and combine efforts to advocate for land stewardship and farm preservation.
Joan Kerr from FSBC in the news: http://www.newsdurhamregion.com/news/article/152734