Minister’s memo

Pursuant to s. 4 of the Local Food Act, 2013, I hereby establish the following goals and targets to aspire to in area of improving food literacy in respect of local food:

  • Goal 1: increase the number of Ontarians who know what local foods are available.
  • Goal 2: increase the number of Ontarians who know how and where to obtain local foods.
  • Goal 3: increase the number of Ontarians who prepare local food meals for family and friends, and make local food more available through food service providers.

Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
January 26, 2015

Overview

In the fall of 2014, the Ontario government consulted with stakeholders to develop aspirational local food literacy goals under the Local Food Act, 2013.

Food literacy goals

The following goals are established by the minister and are applicable to all Ontarians. We acknowledge the richness that is derived from our diverse population, including indigenous peoples, citizen of all ages, and new Canadians. Improving Ontarians' food literacy has the potential to support the health of Ontarians.

Under the context of the Local Food Act, 2013, the aspirational food literacy goals are as follows:

  • Goal 1: increase the number of Ontarians who know what local foods are available.
  • Goal 2: increase the number of Ontarians who know how and where to obtain local foods.
  • Goal 3: increase the number of Ontarians who prepare local food meals for family and friends, and make local food more available through food service providers.

"Local food" is defined within the act as follows:

  1. food produced or harvested in Ontario, including forest or freshwater food
  2. subject to any limitations in the regulations, food and beverages made in Ontario if they include ingredients produced or harvested in Ontario

This definition recognizes the traditional knowledge, diverse cultures and holistic belief systems of indigenous peoples and includes their traditional foods.

These aspirational goals will be underpinned by a varied set of performance measures (quantitative and qualitative) to help gauge progress toward any goal.

The government will report on the three food literacy goals in the annual local food report. In collaboration with stakeholders, the initial focus will be on establishing baselines for measuring progress related to the goals.

With the establishment of these food literacy goals, the Ontario government aims to not only increase food literacy among Ontarians, but also encourage increased collaboration and an ongoing food literacy conversation between government, industry and the public.

Consultation summary

Purpose

This information provides a summary of the information used to develop the food literacy goals.

Information sources

Goals were developed based on two information sources.

  • review of prominent food literacy reports (Appendix A: Food Literacy Reports Reviewed)
  • discussions with farming, health, education and civil society organizations

Format

Draft food literacy goals were presented to participants for feedback during consultations.

Participants were asked to:

  • comment on the draft goals to determine if they were appropriate and how they could be refined
  • identify any additional audiences that should be targeted to improve food literacy
  • identify existing and potential actions/initiatives that would support the draft goals
  • identify performance measures, including current baseline data, to measure progress made on any of the food literacy goals

Participants provided feedback through:

  • a facilitated group session held at FoodShare Toronto on November 24, 2014
  • one-on-one discussions with ministry staff
  • written comments to the ministry

Highlights of feedback

  • Participants were broadly supportive of the initiative.
  • Most stakeholders felt the goals appropriately addressed education-related, social and health considerations.
  • Participants were supportive of all three goals and did not indicate a preference for any one specific goal.
  • In summary, participants agreed that the goals could be improved by incorporating the following refinements:
    • the importance of why someone chooses to buy local food
    • inclusion of the foodservice sector within the goal on food preparation
    • applying a health lens to the food literacy goals so the goals promote healthy local foods, not just local foods
    • acknowledgement that 'Ontarians' includes a wide array of people such as indigenous peoples, new Canadians, those living in urban, suburban, rural and remote areas
    • recognition that actions to meet the goals may need to be targeted at certain subgroups (for example, children, youth, new Canadians)
  • Feedback was incorporated into the final revised goals.

Final goals

Goal 1: Increase the number of Ontarians who know what local foods are available.

Goal 2: Increase the number of Ontarians who know how and where to obtain local foods.

Goal 3: Increase the number of Ontarians who prepare local food meals for family and friends, and make local food more available through food service providers.

Monitoring progress

The Government will report progress on the food literacy goals in its annual local food report. In collaboration with stakeholders, the initial focus will be on establishing baselines for measuring progress related to the goals.

The statements summarized and captured in this document are based on notes taken during consultation and discussions with stakeholders. Every effort has been made to capture comments accurately and comprehensively.

Appendix A

Food literacy reports reviewed

  • Assembly of First Nations, Universite de Montreal and University of Ottawa (2011). First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study.
  • Conference Board of Canada (2014). Improving Food Literacy in Canada.
  • Conference Board of Canada (2014). Household Food Security in Canada.
  • Conference Board of Canada (2014). Canada's Growing Appetite for Local Food.
  • Desjardins, E. & Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit: Elsie Azevedo, RD, MSc (2013). Food Literacy for Life: Making something out of nothing.
  • Korzun, M., & Webb, C. (2014). Opportunities to Fill the Gaps in Knowledge About the Impacts of Food Education for Children and Youth in Ontario.
  • Sustain Ontario (2014). Opportunities for Ontario's Local Food Act to Advance Food Literacy (draft)
  • Viden, H. and Gallegos, D. (2012). Defining food literacy, its components, development and relationship to food intake: A case study of young people and disadvantage.

Organizations invited to participate in consultation

Municipal

  • Association of Municipalities of Ontario
  • Town of Caledon
  • Grey County

Farm

  • Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association
  • Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers
  • Dairy Farmers of Canada
  • Organic Council of Ontario
  • Ontario Federation of Agriculture
  • Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario
  • L'Union des cultivateurs franco-ontariens
  • Golden Horseshoe Food and Farming Alliance
  • Farm and Food Care Ontario
  • Farmers Markets Ontario

Processing

  • Food and Beverage Ontario
  • Provision Coalition
  • Food & Consumer Products of Canada

Retail

  • Retail Council of Canada

Health

  • EatRight Ontario
  • Ontario Public Health Association
  • Dietitians of Canada
  • Cancer Care Ontario
  • Ontario Society of Nutrition Professionals in Public Health (OSNPPH)

Education

  • Ontario Agri-Food Education Inc.
  • Ophea
  • Ontario Edible Education Network
  • Stratford Northwestern Secondary School – Screaming Avocado Program

Civil society

  • Sustain Ontario
  • Master Gardeners of Ontario Inc.
  • FoodShare Toronto
  • Greenbelt Fund
  • Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance
  • Wine Council of Ontario
  • Ontario Horticultural Association
  • Ontario Home Economics Association

Indigenous people

  • Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN)
  • Chiefs of Ontario
  • Union of Ontario Indians
  • Grand Council Treaty #3
  • Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians (AIAI)
  • Independent First Nations
  • Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centres
  • Ontario Native Women's Association
  • Métis Nation of Ontario
  • Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
  • Ottawa Inuit Children's Centre
  • Tungasuvvingat Inuit