Imagine a Ministry of Agriculture and Sustainable Food Systems?, Or an agricultural land reserve that can only be used for farming? Or a provincial food procurement policy requiring hospitals to reach a target of 30% local? Or a renewal of the Buy BC program?. Yes, this is something British Columbians can expect if the BCNDP...Read More

Memorial University is making great strides towards food systems sustainability. In March 2013, Campus Food Systems Project Coordinators, Caitlin Colson and Sarah Archibald had the opportunity to visit Memorial University’s St. John’s Campus and see, first hand, the local food initiatives happening on campus and in the community. We had the chance to speak with...Read More

Designed to inform and inspire, this resource provides an overview of key Farm to Cafeteria concepts and models. It illuminates innovative and successful Farm to School, Farm to Campus, and Farm to Hospital programs in 5 urban, rural, remote, and aboriginal BC communities. Download: F2C-PathsToSuccessRead More

The UBC Campus Sustainable Food Guide is a great resource package detailing the initiatives that are happening at UBC and weighing in about food education, engagement and much more. Check it out the UBC Sustainable Campus Food Guide here!Read More

The Government of BC is providing a one-time contribution to help BC’s agricultural and agri-products sector increase local presence and consumption of BC agrifoods by expanding or launching their own marketing campaigns. Under the Buy Local Program, businesses and organizations can apply for matching funding (i.e., applicants are required to contribute 50% of the total cost...Read More

Ontario is affected by many trade agreements that potentially restrict its ability to enact public procurement measures that discriminate in favour of local food. However, an examination of some of the limitations and exceptions of certain trade agreements that affect Ontario as well as a review of public procurement measures adopted by jurisdictions subject to similar trade agreement restrictions,...Read More

Source: The Tyee- October 19, 2012 Local fish, pulled from the cold water off the north coast, is a staple on the menu at the eight-bed hospital in Masset, a town of roughly 1,000 located on the largest island of Haida Gwaii. Patient meals also regularly feature local potatoes and onions from nearby farmers; part of...Read More

Source: The Tyee- October 18, 2012 Following on the example of St. Joseph’s hospital in Guelph, a nationally-recognized model of bringing local food into big institutions, we wanted to find out how patients’ meals measure up in Vancouver. Indeed, could we do a plate-by-plate comparison of hospital meals: their ingredients, how far they’d travelled, what our health...Read More

Source: The Tyee- October 17th, 2012 Guelph, Ont. — “Hospital food” is one of those phrases that evokes an almost visceral reaction from anyone who has had the displeasure of experiencing it first-hand. Bad hospital food stories are nothing new, but in the past few years there has been a renewed call to improve the...Read More

Source: Calgary Herald- October 16, 2o12  A new national network aimed at connecting farms to cafeterias — improving food in these institutions and, subsequently, those who use them — launched today as students here in Calgary learned more about the importance of local food. Farm to Cafeteria Canada is a national program, managed and administered by...Read More