Local Food Plans: Lessons from Other Communities

Local Food Plans: Lessons from Other Communities
Plus Dialogue on the Regional Food System Strategy in Metro Vancouver
Tuesday, October 5 and Wednesday, October 6

Concerns about food— its impacts on our health; its inaccessibility to many low income people; its vulnerability to climate change, soil erosion, water shortages and rising fuel prices; demand for local food; its role in creating new jobs; and the need for farmers to be able to make a decent living—have vaulted food strategies up the public policy priority list. Find out how Toronto, Portland and California are planning to transform local food production, distribution and land use.

In the second half of the afternoon, help shape Metro Vancouver’s Regional Food System Strategy. Over the past two years, representatives from all levels of government, the agriculture and food industry, community organizations and the public have provided valuable input on how to make our food system more sustainable, resilient and healthy. At this session, after a brief presentation on the draft Regional Food System Strategy for Metro Vancouver, participants will break into discussion groups and be asked for their feedback. The presentation on lessons learned from other communities from the previous session should provide food for thought for these discussions. Results will be used to refine the Strategy and clarify key areas for collaboration.

Speakers
Sibella Kraus, President/Director, SAGE (Sustainable Agriculture Education), Berkeley, California
Dr. David McKeown, Medical Officer of Health for the City of Toronto
Judy Shiprack, Multomah County Commissioner, Portland, Oregon
Moderator: Peter Ladner, Fellow of the SFU Centre for Dialogue

Registration
Tuesday, October 5, Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue, 580 West Hastings Street, Vancouver
2-4pm Local Food Plans: Lessons from Other Communities
4:30-6:30pm Dialogue on the Regional Food System Strategy in Metro Vancouver

Wednesday, October 6 (repeat session of Tuesday), Compass Point Inn Hotel, 9855 King George Highway, Surrey
2-4pm Local Food Plans: Lessons from Other Communities
4:30-6:30pm Dialogue on the Regional Food System Strategy in Metro Vancouver

For more information or to register, please visit the SFU website.