Research and Policy Paper – Bring Food Home 2017 – Food Policy Councils: Governance, Success, Challenges
The Municipal Food Policy Network cooperated with student researchers Sylvie La Forge and Omar Elsharkawy throughout 2017 to create a policy position paper, in order to identify gaps, set direction and strength the Ontario food system. The policy position paper is about food policy councils learning from governance, success, and challenges.
OVERVIEW
While the aim of the earliest food policy councils (FPC) was to form close relationships with local governments, there are now numerous different types of food policy council
governance. In Canada, six categories have been identified:
1. Municipality-driven food policy initiatives.
2. Hybrid model with direct links to the government.
3. Hybrid model with indirect links to the government.
4. Food policy organization linked to the government through a secondary agency.
5. Civil society organization with limited government funding and participation.
6. Civil society organization with no direct government involvement
Interviews were conducted with 5 food policy councils, 3 of which identified as civil society organizations, and 2 as hybrid model councils with indirect links to the government.