fresh - edmonton food & agriculture policy

7/31/2019 FRESH - Edmonton Food & Agriculture Policy

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Edmontons

Food & Urban AgricultureStrategy


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Edmontons Food & Urban Agriculture Strategy |october 01


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ii

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ntents

Foreword: A Note From the ChAir

exeCutive SummAry

EDMONON 0: OUR FOOD ANDURBAN AGRICULURE REALIY

BUILDING A SRAEGY HA MAERS 2.1 P o R Lo Foo S 6

2.2 Wh M b Lo? 7

3 HOW FRESH WAS DEVELOPED 3.1 Pb Coo E 12

3.2 A h K C P 14

4 FOOD SYSEMS AND FRAMEWORKS 4.1 Th E o Foo S 18

4.2 S Fo 19

5 SRAEGIC DIRECIONS AND RECOMMENDAIONS 5.1 Ebh h Eoo Foo Co 27

5.2 Po Foo S Eo Ioo 30

5.3 Ex Ub A 33

5.4 Do Lo Foo I C 36

5.5 Go Lo Foo S D 39

5.6 E h Pb R Thoh D o Foo A 42

5.7 T Foo W Ro 455.8 So Ub F Eoo Aoh o F 48

5.9 I L o A 50

6 ENACING HE SRAEGY 6.1 E Sho Po P 60

6.2 h: I I Wo? 61

6.3 Wh S W Loo L 62

7 CONCLUSION: EDMONONS FOOD ANDURBAN AGRICULURE FUURE 7.1 Coo: Eoo Foo Ub A F 64

APPENDICES Ax 1: Go 72

Ax 2: Mh 78

Ax 3: A h Th W 74

Ax 4: Ex M 81Ax 5: L To Coo 82

Ao 85


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Frwr: A Nt r t CirThe Food and Urban Agriculture Advisory Committee I chaired or close to the last year was made

up o ourteen citizens rom dierent parts o Edmonton and with dierent interests in the ood and

agriculture sector. As Chair I want to personally thank the members o the Advisory Committee or

their hard work, their dedication and, most o all, the incredible degree o respect shown in every

meeting. It was a great learning experience or us, but it was also made pleasant by the regard each

member showed or the rest. The Advisory Committee members were:

ngs Wa|Angus Watt Advisory Group Jan Rpl | Walton Development and Management

n Kllppan | Sustainable Food Edmonton J Ba | Toma & Bouma Management Consultants

anac Vann |Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Jss Ras |Live Local and Blue Pear Restaurant

Kn Gssn |Food Processing Development Centre Da Gbbns |Edmonton Federation o Community Leagues

Dbb Hbba| Greater Edmonton Alliance Lsa J |Horse Hill Community League

D Klann |Kuhlmanns Market Gardens Ma Bc |Faculty o Extension, University o Alberta

Hn n Wl|Alberta Netherlands Trade Ofce san Rbs | Growing Food Security in Alberta

Some o us are armers, some o us are developers, some o us are academics, some o us are

community organizers; but one thing that was clear rom the rst meeting was that no matter what

our backgrounds were, we all shared one common passion and purposeto make Edmontons ood

system better. And over the course o the last year, despite dierent backgrounds and points o view,

we worked hard to achieve that common goal. It wasnt always easy; when you get ourteen smart

and dedicated people in the same room youll have dierences o opinion. But those discussions

were what pushed us to try and do something special and something new. We hope we managed that.

I also have to thank the antastic level o support we got rom the Citys administrative sta. They put

in a massive amount o work, both in organizing our meetings and in doing the research, and or that

I am personally thankul. Lastly, I know I speak or every Advisory Committee member when I thank

the citizens o Edmonton who participated in this process with us. We could not have gotten close to

producing the Strategy we did without their incredible insight, ideas and enthusiasm, through the

Citizen Panels, the surveys, the conerence and the online activity.

Creating resh has been quite the ride, but its been worth it, because we produced a Strategy that

asks Edmontonians to imagine a city in which our ood and urban agriculture landscape is more

vibrant and resilient at every level. We think its possible, we think its exciting, and we cant wait to

start working with you to make it happen.

Ar Flkbr, Chair

F Urb Aricultur Aviry CittSeptember 2012


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iv

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fresh.EXECUIVE SUMMARY


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fresh.edmontons ood& urban agriculture strategy

Ui t yt ui, t Aviry Citt iti v Gl tt wul

rv uti r t Strty. r: A stronger, more vibrant local economy

A healthier, more ood secure community

Healthier ecosystems

Less energy, emissions and waste

More vibrant, attractive and unique places

Nxt, t Aviry Citt vlp i Strtic Dircti, wic r t bi

cti r t tir Strty. Strtic Dircti r:1 Establish the Edmonton Food Council

2 Provide Food Skill Education

and Inormation

Expand Urban Agriculture

4 Develop Local Food Inrastructure Capacity

5 Grow Local Food Supply and Demand

6 Enliven the Public Realm Through a

Diversity o Food Activities

7 Treat Food Waste as a Resource

Support Urban Farmers and Ecological

Approaches to Farming

9 Integrate Land Use or Agriculture

Eh o h S Do o Roo. Th Roo h o

z h Vo Go, o h o oh, oo h

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This is what success will look like.


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fresh.edmontons food & urban agriculture strategy

EDMOTO 2012: OUR OOD DURB GRIULTURE RELITY


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section 1 edmonton 2012: our food and urban agriculture reality

Edmonton is ortunate to sit at the

intersection o many important anddynamic opportunities in todays world.

We have a strong economy with sound

orecasts or growth. We are at the center

o a region that is competing in some o

the worlds leading industries, includingagriculture. We have access to ample

water and ertile land that surrounds

us. And we can boast o a population

that combines a pioneer spirit with

unstoppable innovation.

iven all this, Edmonton has an opportunity to consider

the role o ood and urban agriculture in its economy andin the lives o its citizens. We have a long history o ood

production and we are a major urban centre with some

world class players in the ood sector. Edmonton also has

an emerging ood culture rom small local producers

at armers markets to successul large commercial

arms, rom ood trucks oering diverse and delicious

meals to unique high-end restaurants. Yet how oten do

we really stop to consider where our ood comes rom

and the degree to which local knowledge, expertise and

enthusiasm can urther build our local ood and urban

agriculture system? What part do we play - as individuals,

as a community and as businesses - in the growing,

processing, transporting, selling, waste management, and

education about the ood we eat? What truly are the

possibilities and responsibilities or Edmonton in ostering

this local ood system? All o these questions pertain to

the interrelatedness o the ood system. More inormation

on the elements o a ood system is provided on page 8.

fresh provides a singular opportunity to imagine how

new approaches to ood and urban agriculture can make

Edmonton an even better place to live, work, play and

invest. It is no exaggeration to say that ood matters to

each o us every day, in terms o health and community,

but we also need to consider how to make our city a more

innovative and dynamic ood and urban agriculture setting

as we move into the uture.

Cities across North America are considering the

development o plans that will aect the role and scale o

their local ood and urban agriculture sectors. Edmonton

has the potential to be a leader among these cities by

creating and implementing a ood and urban agriculture

strategy based on research, citizen input and stakeholder

expertise in both the ood system and Edmontons

context. We believe resh: Edmontons Food and Urban

Agriculture Strategy is realistic and positions Edmonton

to develop a sustainable and resilient ood system at every

level, rom community gardens to greenhouses to large


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fresh.edmontons food& urban agriculture strategy

export producers, rom armers markets to an array o

ood retail options to compelling celebrations o local ood

in a variety o venues and settings.

Like any worthwhile endeavour, however, there will bechallenges. We ace certain realities in Edmonton. We are

a rapidly growing city in a growing region. Inevitably, as we

welcome more people, there is increased demand and

pressure in terms o services, jobs, land, inrastructure and

other resources. Our strategic short to long-term planning

must also make sense within our local, regional and

provincial contexts, and our approaches to how we grow

and use land must balance dierent and divergent needs,values and pressures. We believe thoughtul guidance

and advice can help decision-makers determine how

best to integrate and leverage ood and urban agriculture

opportunities or Edmontons uture success.

This is an important moment in Edmontons evolution

as a city. It is important to think ahead, to envision a

stronger Edmonton at every level. This means thinkingseriously, on an ongoing basis, about the uture o ood

and urban agriculture in our city. The Vision, ve broad

oals and nine Strategic Directions and supporting

Recommendations in resh are all reective o extensive

consultations and the expertise, interest and commitment

already here in Edmonton.

What this strategy addresses is a local ood system inEdmonton; it does not address the larger commercial ood

industry centered here.

Food systems are dened by the geographic, political,

economic, environmental and social contexts in which

they exist. A local ood system has a shorter supply chain

across which production, processing, distribution and

consumption are locally ocused. The Advisory Committee

agrees that there are vital connections and relationships

between the emerging local ood system and the regional,national and international ood industry based here, and

that they are complementary and interwoven. However,

addressing the issues o the larger commercial ood

sector would be ar beyond the scope and ability o this

Advisory Committee. Any eort to seize the opportunities

presented by the larger commercial ood sector will be

valuable to the emerging local ood sector and to all o

Edmonton in terms o economic development. However,

those eorts are best let to appropriate bodies such as

economic development organizations and the Capital

Region, and we encourage the pursuit o an agri-ood

strategy or Edmontons commercial ood industry.

As the Advisory Committee worked through the

development o fresh, it aced some undamental

questions, not all o which this Strategy, or a multi-

stakeholder committee, could address. Our city must

decide on issues or which there is little agreement. Oten

there is no existing inormation or research available that

would help rame the answers properly. Because o this,

fresh does not mark the endpoint o a process, but the

starting point. The process o realizing this Strategy should

never be complete. This Strategy will evolve over many

years as we reinorce and build on ongoing successes.

Looking orward, with the right mix o determination,

innovation and collaboration, we can transition Edmonton

rom a good ood city to a great ood city.

Please refer to the Glossary in

Appendix 1 for any terms thatare unfamiliar.


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BUILDING A STRATEGY

THAT MATTERS



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section 2 building a strategy that matters

Food and urban agriculture have not always been the mostpressing concern or municipal governments which have

traditionally ocussed on more amiliar and oten seemingly

more urgent issues, like roads, inrastructure, water, waste

management, and managing land development. Edmonton

has not been markedly dierent in this regard. However,

municipal governments across the continent have begun

to recognize the enormous opportunity provided by a

more thoughtul consideration o ood and its relationship

to local community development. They are recognizing

ood and urban agriculture as an opportunity to increase

the sustainability and quality-o-lie o their communities

and as a critical lever or achieving many other civic goals

and objectives.

Ever-increasing issues around environmental, social

and economic sustainability are leading municipal

governments to think more creatively about how to

address community resilience and livability in relation to

ood and urban agriculture. In response to these trends,

and to the clear voices o Edmontonians committed to

ood issues, the City o Edmonton, through The Way We

Growand other municipal plans, has recognized ood and

urban agriculture as a actor to be considered in its utureplanning and community development.

Municipalities can also capitalize on opportunities by

taking an integrated planning approach that brings

together dierent systems (including inrastructure,

ood and agriculture, energy, and buildings) perorming

dierent but complementary unctions. There is certainly

this potential in Edmonton, and highly integrated planning

will be necessary to meet the Vision and oals ofresh.

The various components o a ood system including oodproduction, processing, distribution, consumption and

waste management are in act related to many other

planning issues with which municipalities grapple. For

example, the ood system impacts and is impacted by land

use, urban design, transportation, economic development,

waste management, the cost o living, the environment

and the health o the population.

Criticl pit iti w vlpi t

Et F Urb Aricultur

Strty iclu:

Economic development (ensuring viablecommercial businesses, local enterprisedevelopment, agri-tourism)

Inrastructure (value-added processing, storage anddistribution centres, road and rail networks)

Growth planning coordination (urban boundaries,densication, arm/urban edge integration)

Land use (zoning or ood and urban agricultureactivities)

Housing (community amenities and housing designor cooking and growing ood)

Municipal operations (ood procurement,demonstration kitchens and gardens)

Transportation (ood distribution, warehousing,walkable and transit-oriented ood amenities)

Parks and open space (ood estivals, armersmarkets, community gardens and urban arms)

Waste systems (inrastructure or ood wastereduction, composting)

Education and community resources(workshops, partnerships, organizational andinstitutional development)

. Pli r Rilit Lcl F Syt


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In terms o the scope and scale o this Strategy, the ocuso the Recommendations is at the local level and on what

the City o Edmonton can achieve within its jurisdiction

together with a range o public, private and community

partnerships. However, to ully understand local ood

systems, it is necessary to present the denition o local

along a spectrum rom most local to least local. There are

several elements that must be considered together to

determine what is and is not local. Figure 1 captures the

relevant impacts o the shades o local, which include:

Ow and/or location o headquarters or ood

and agriculture related businesses

R , i.e. where the majority o

jobs are concentrated

and

To better understand the relative geographic dimension othe term local, it is worth noting that Alberta Agriculture

and Rural Development would consider all o Alberta as

local. Another metric based purely on distance, oered by

the US Congress in the 2008 Farm Act, would be 600km.

This distance would be approximately the distance

between Edmonton and Medicine Hat, Saskatoon, or

Nelson, B.C. However, as noted above, there are multiple

important actors when considering what is local, and

the concept must be exible to adequately encompass

Edmontons emerging local ood sector and move us

towards the overarching intention o producing ood as

close to home as possible.

One o the key opportunities in fresh is the recognition

that there is a small but potent emerging local ood

sector in Edmonton that is actively producing, processing

and marketing a range o resh products. There are

small to medium scale businesses which are under local

ownership and/or leadership. This emerging sector also

includes community organizations, armers market

organizations, pre- and post-secondary education

institutions, restaurants, grocery stores, ood trucks,

urban and peri-urban armers, small-scale processors,community supported agriculture, resh ood box

programs and business associations, among many others,

that are creating opportunities within the local ood sector

in Edmonton.

. Wt i Mt by Lcl?


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section 2 building a strategy that matters

Again, it must also be recognized that local ood and urban agriculture are part o a broadernetwork o activities and relationships, in particular across the Capital Region, but also extending

in all directions rom Edmonton. For example, many o the vendors represented at Edmontons

armers markets are rom the greater Edmonton region, some are rom other regions and some are

rom outside o Alberta. The implementation o this Strategy will require regional and provincial

partnerships to explore opportunities beyond those ound just within Edmontons boundaries.

The range o how local ood can maniest within

an urban setting can be urther illustrated by

Figure 2. Urban agriculture, shown rom a landuse perspective, may or may not be the primary

use o urban lands. For example, urban residential

lands or inner urban lands may have the land

use zoning designated as primarily residential

land-use, however, agricultural production (such

as horticulture) may be easible in community

gardens or backyard gardens as a secondary use.

In peri-urban areas, agricultural production may take

place on lands zoned or agriculture as the primary

land-use and oer additional opportunities or

agri-tourism, agri-related commercial developments,

education and recreation as secondary uses.

Fiur :Shades o Local

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HOW THE TRTEGYW DEVELOED


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section 3 HOw tHe strategy was develOped

The moment the City o Edmonton embarked upon itsFood and Urban Agriculture Strategy, it was clear that a

signicant public consultation and dialogue would not

only be part o the process but a key consideration in

the ndings and recommendations. With that in mind,

an Advisory Committee was ormed in October o 2011

comprised o a diverse range o stakeholders and experts

in agriculture, ood systems, economic and community

development and land development. City sta and

consultants supported the Advisory Committee as they

developed the Strategy using extensive research, expertise

and public consultation.

Edmontons emerging local ood sector is propelled by

strong citizen participation, and thereore our citizens

are uniquely placed to oer their insight. Over 3000

Edmontonians participated in one way or another in ourconsultation process, and stakeholders rom many diverse

areas o urban agriculture shared their views and opinions.

Consultation and public engagement have inherent

challenges in achieving broad citizen reach, but this

process targeted citizens through a wide array o

mechanisms and gathered the ideas and passions o a

signicant number o Edmontonians. The process not only

reached a broad audience, but also aimed to involve some

people in a more thorough and engaged discussion. It wasimportant to hear what people thought about the issues,

but also to hear how they understood and dealt with the

complexities and implications o the decisions to be made.

The meThods of engagemenT nded:

Citizen panels

Stakeholder workshops

Public opinion survey

Landowner survey

Food in the City Conerence

Website, email list, blog and Twitter

Open houses

resh eedback survey

Considerable eorts, including research, consultation,

discussion, analysis and coordination with other City

plans and initiatives, have been undertaken to develop

this strategy. It has presented a unique opportunity to

engage Edmontonians in a conversation about ood and

urban agriculture, and the Advisory Committee is grateul

to everyone that took part in this process. fresh could not

have been completed without the interest and support oall who participated.

. Public Cultti Et

SeCtioN HOw tHe strategy was develOped



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f &

It is difcult to reduce a complicated and rewarding

process to a ew selected high-level observations and

ndings, but some clear themes and patterns did emerge

in the public consultation phase.

The mosT ofTen-head Themes and deas ee:

Available urban spaces or ood production

need to be increased

Access to local ood or consumers must

be improved

Prime agricultural land should be protected

Local ood should be celebrated

Food and community cohesion are

closely linked

Balanced growth is vital Economic opportunities or local ood

businesses must be improved

Education, awareness and promotion around

local ood needs to be increased

Inrastructure or ood and urban agriculture

related businesses must be enhanced

The coordination o resources and inormationsharing should be strengthened

The City o Edmonton needs to take a strongly

supportive role in all o the above

In addition to the most oten heard themes, Appendix 5

includes a synthesis o how all the Strategic Directions and

Recommendations are linked to the various consultation

reports. This illustrates the connections between the

Strategy and what we heard rom our engagement process

so that there is a clear line o sight rom our consultation

to the Recommendations. The ull breadth o inormation

gathered or the Strategy is reely available to the public.

All the research and consultation reports can be ound

at www.edmonton.ca/oodandag. These reports include

the ollowing:

Citizen Panel Report A summary o the

recommendations made by the Citizen Panel process

undertaken in partnership with the Centre or

Public Involvement

Stakeholder Group Summary Round One

A summary o the discussion and eedback gathered

during the rst round o stakeholder workshops led by

the project consultants

Stakeholder Group Summary Round Two

A summary o the discussion and eedback gathered

during the second round o stakeholder workshops

that were led by the project consultants

Public Opinion Survey Report A summary o the

ndings rom the online survey that was available

during the month o June 202

Landowner Survey Report A summary o the

online survey that was sent to landowners in the three

Urban rowth Areas to identiy current and uture

uses o land

fresh Feedback Survey Report A summary o the

ndings rom the online survey that was available

in early October 202 to gather eedback rom the

public on the drat oresh

Agricultural Inventory and Assessment

An inventory o agricultural lands and activities within

Edmonton with a ocus on the Urban rowth Areas

Local Food Opportunities Report A review o six

initial opportunities or the Strategy to help bolster

the emerging local ood economy.


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section 3 HOw tHe strategy was develOped

.. Alii wit Ky City PlEdmontons ood system is complex in nature, with wide ranging impacts.

A comprehensive and pragmatic ood and urban agriculture strategy thereore

needs to ocus on what change can be aected by Edmontonians and the City.

This means fresh needs to integrate well into existing City plans, priorities

and budgets.

Edmonton has embarked on a comprehensive process to chart its social,

nancial, environmental and developmental pathways, through the creation

o a suite o documents that lay out Edmontons aspirations on the key ronts

that will shape the citys uture. The Food and Urban Agriculture Strategy

was developed as part o the ongoing process o creating a better Edmonton

through coherent and integrated planning, and although some o the key City

documents are more relevant to the Food and Urban Agriculture Strategy than

others, the ollowing provides a brie overview o the directly relevant plans.

More detailed inormation on the alignment between the Food and UrbanAgriculture Strategy and other City policies can be ound in Appendix 3.



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The Way Ahead

The Way Ahead is the Citys strategic plan or growth overthe next 30 years. It highlights that Edmonton is an energy

city, a city o design, a recreation and arts city. Four

principles underpin The Way Ahead. These are: Integration,

Sustainability, Livability, and Innovation. This is relevant

to this Strategy in that all City o Edmonton planning

processes must be ltered through these our principles.

The Way We Grow

The Way We Grow is the Citys principal planning

document and the Food and Urban Agriculture Strategy

Terms o Reerence are drawn rom it. In act, The Way We

Grow contains the citys rst ever reerence to ood and

agriculture systems. The Way We Growis designed to guide

the citys growth and development, and it examines how the

City will address Edmontons regional relationships, utureland use, growth patterns and transportation systems (in

coordination with neighbouring municipalities). It lays out

a holistic and integrated approach toward city building,

with an emphasis on economic, social, environmental,

cultural and nancial sustainability.

The Way We Finance

The Way We Finance will be the Citys nancial

sustainability plan, and it will outline guiding principles

to ensure continued sound scal management and long-

term nancial sustainability. Development o The Way

We Finance will involve an assessment o policy options

and strategies to optimize the Citys sources o revenue

and nancial stewardship. The policy and strategy

ramework that it will provide will guide City Counciland Administration towards a long-range nancial plan.

Although The Way We Finance is not yet complete, there

will likely be a strong connection made between the scal

sustainability o the City and various land uses within

Edmonton, including land used or agriculture.

The Way We Prosper

The Way We Prosper is a comprehensive economicdevelopment strategy or the City. It will ocus on what

it means to achieve the goal o diversiying Edmontons

economy. Five broad goals have been developed or The

Way We Prosper: a condent and progressive global image,

internationally renowned as a powerhouse o industry, an

unrivalled, competitive business climate, an environment

or innovation, a vibrant, livable city. All o these align well

to support the economic development aims ofresh.

The Way We Move

The Way We Move comprises the Citys master

transportation plan, increasing awareness about our

current reliance on the automobile, calling or expansion

o the LRT and other transit, as well as better walkways and

cycle corridors. The Way We Move was co-developed withThe Way We Grow, which stresses the link between land

use and transportation. Land use is a key consideration in

this Strategy, and issues o transportation and movement,

and in particular public transit, are highly relevant to the

ways in which all land uses are discussed in Edmonton.

The Way We Green

The Way We Green, the Citys environmental plan, ocuses

on two essential points: sustainability and resilience. Its

goals highlight healthy ecosystems, sustainability, energy

resilience, and that we pursue a resilient ood and

urban agriculture system that contributes to the overall

sustainability o the city.


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OOD YTEMD RMEWORK


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section 4 Food systems and Frameworks

. Elt F Syt

At the heart oresh is a systems approach to ood and urban agriculture. This

approach recognizes that all parts o the system are linked and interwoven and that

creating a thriving local ood culture and economy means paying attention to all

aspects o the ood system. Part o the job o this strategy is to connect the dots and

recognize that each element o the ood system is mutually reinorced by the other

elements and, when considered as a whole, a systematic and deliberate approach

to creating a more resilient and thriving local ood economy is both easible and

desirable. Figure 3 illustrates these key ood system elements.

FOOD PRODUCION involves land andspace or growing/raising ood as well as the

support systems necessary or urban and peri-

urban armers.

PROCESSING involves transorming rawgoods into market-ready and value-added

products. Processing can be at a commercial orcommunity scale (e.g. commercial and community

kitchens respectively).

SORAGE AND DISRIBUION involvesthe cold, dry and rozen storage o oods making

their way to wholesale and retail locations and the

acilities required to eectively distribute ood

products to customers.

BUYING AND SELLING the purchasing oood or individual to institutional purposes. This

involves the ood wholesale and retail sectors

including restaurants, grocery stores, armers

markets and others.

EAING AND CELEBRAION involves thepreparation and enjoyment o ood, community

recognition or the health benets and value o local

ood production and preparation.

FOOD WASE AND RECOVERY involvesthe systems to manage waste generated rom the

ood system, such as reducing packaging and theamount o ood that is wasted pre-consumption.

It also includes diverting organic materials

or composting.

EDUCAION AND GOVERNANCE involvesthe many levels o learning and knowledge transer

around growing, preparing, preserving, enjoying

ood, and the health benets derived rom ood,

as well as how communities choose to link ood

systems into policy and decision-making.



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Food Waste& Recovery

Eating &Celebration

Land &Space for

Agriculture

Education &Governance

Buying &Selling

Farming& Food

Production

Processing &Distribution

Fiur :Elements o a Food System. Strty Frwrk

The ollowing three diagrams outline the interlocking

nature o the key elements o this Strategy. This visual

ramework or Edmontons Food and Urban Agriculture

Strategy has three main components:

1 Cr Structur (Fiur ): A diagramthat connects the Food and Urban

Agriculture Strategys Vision, Goals,

Objectives to its Strategic Directions

and Recommendations.

2 A Strty r ll Et (Fiur ): A spatial lens that provides a context or

looking at the opportunities or urban

agriculture in the dierent areas o

Edmonton, rom the downtown core to the

peri-urban areas.

Strty F Syt Lik(Fiur ): A graphical depiction othe connections between the Strategic

Directions and the ood system, providinga holistic perspective o the various

opportunities available across the

ood system.

Taken together, these three components o the Strategy

Framework oer a high-level visual context that supports

the specic recommendations o this report.

.. Core StruCtureTo ground the development o the Strategy, the Advisory

Committee approved the use o the Strategic oal

statement rom The Way We Growor use as the Vision:

Edmonton has a resilient ood and

agriculture system that contributes to the

local economy and the overall cultural,

fnancial, social and environmental

sustainability o the city.

Five key oals were then developed to act as a oundation,

to rame and guide the work on the Strategy. These oals

are supported by corresponding Objectives. The Strategic

Directions reect the themes gathered rom the public

and stakeholder consultations and provide clear direction

to achieving the oals and Objectives.


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0


Fllwi r t Gl cripti t ucc ttwul rult r rlizi c:

A trr, r vibrt lcl cy: Food and urban agriculture in

Edmonton contribute more signicantly to the creation o community wealth.

There are more jobs and business opportunities in the local ood and agriculture

sectors. As a result, Edmontonians have more opportunities to buy, share andenjoy local and regional ood.

A ltir, r cur cuity: Everyone in Edmonton has access

to enough nutritious, sae and culturally-appropriate ood. People have more

opportunities to learn about and participate in the local ood system. Local ood

is more accessible to everyone and individuals, amilies and communities are

encouraged to grow, prepare, preserve and purchase and celebrate local ood.

Hltir cyt: The local ood and urban agriculture system

positively contributes to the overall health and ecosystem services that green

spaces provide. Areas o high biodiversity, environmental sensitivity, and

ecological signicance are protected. Food and urban agricultural areas are

managed in ways that support wildlie habitat, conserve water use and are

environmentally sustainable.

L ry, ii wt:The local ood and urban agriculture system

is highly energy efcient and generate little waste. The ood system reducesdependence on non-renewable energy, thereby reducing greenhouse gas

emissions. Instead, alternative renewable energy is used, such as energy generated

rom agricultural by-products and ood wastes, which are also composted to

improve soil quality. Less solid waste and air pollution are generated during the

producing, transporting, distributing, marketing, packaging, eating, and recycling

o ood.

Mr vibrt, ttrctiv uiqu plc:Food and urban agriculture createand contribute to vibrant, attractive, and unique places or Edmontonians and

visitors. Public and private spaces are designed to use ood as a way to enhance

the local ood culture, celebrate ood, and animate and enliven shared spaces.

Visitors to Edmonton appreciate and experience the local ood culture. Food

growing, processing, buying, selling, and eating places are all accessible at the

neighbourhood level.



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Fiur :Core Structure

Edmonton has a resilient food and agriculture system that contributes to the local economyand the overall cultural, financial, social, and environmental sustainability of the city.

A stronger,more vibrant

local economy

A healthier, morefood securecommunity

More vibrant,attractive, andunique places

Less energyemissions and

waste

Healthierecosystems

The local food

economy generates

wealth forEdmontons

community

There is adequate

food processing,

storage, anddistribution capacity

for a range of business

sizes and scales

There are many job

and businessopportunities in the

local food and

agriculture sector

A greater proportion

of Edmontons food

basket is grown,raised, prepared, and

processed closer to

home

A wide diversity of

food types are grownand prepared locally

A consistently

growing number ofEdmontonians have

the food skills toprovide good nutrition

to themselves and

their families

Consumers have easy

access to local food

Food has a strong

presence in the public

realm

Food makes Edmonton

more livable andinteresting

Edmonton is knownfor its food culture

People may easily

connect to food andagriculture assets,

activities, andresources

Our food system uses

less non-renewable

energy and generatesless greenhouse gas

emissions

Food waste is

minimized and

bio-energy optionsare explored

Our food system is

part of and enhances

the local ecosystem

Food production

reduces reliance onsynthetically

manufactured

agrochemicals byrelying on ecological

methods of soil

building and pestmanagement

Food producersprovide and are

connected to wildlife

habitat

Establish theEdmonton Food

Council

Provide Food SkillEducation and

Information

Integrate Landfor Agriculture

Expand UrbanAgriculture

Support UrbanFarmers & Ecological

Approaches toFarming

Develop Local FoodInfrastructure

Capacity

Grow Local FoodSupply and

Demand

Enliven the PublicRealm Through aDiversity of Food

Activities

Treat Food Wasteas a Resource

recommendations to support strategic directions


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Strtic Dircti: Establish the Edmonton Food Council

Strtic Dircti: Provide Food Skill Education and Inormation

Strtic Dircti: Treat Food Waste as a Resource

Strtic Dircti:Support Urban Farming

and Ecological Approaches

to Farming

Strtic Dircti:Develop Local Food

Inrastructure Capacity

Strtic Dircti:Enliven the Public Realm Through

a Diversity o Food Activities

Strtic Dircti:row Local Food Supply

and Demand

Strtic Dircti:Integrate Land or

Agriculture

peri-urban

urban

Fiur :Potential application o strategic directions

.. A StrAtey For A oF edmoNtoNEdmonton has a great diversity o areas within its boundaries. Opportunities or ood and urban agriculture vary

depending on where they occur. For example, in Edmontons developed urban core the range o activities may includerootop gardening or vertical gardening on a balcony. Further away rom the core, in mature areas and suburbs, there may

be more community gardens and backyard gardens. In peri-urban areas there may be opportunities or market gardens,

nurseries and greenhouses. Figure 5 represents how urban agriculture activities cans be dispersed across the city, and

how the Strategic Directions may apply to all parts o Edmonton.

Strtic Dircti:Expand Urban Agriculture



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3

.. StrAtey ANd Food SyStem iNkSThe ood and urban agriculture system encompasses the various stages that a raw ood product goes through. A systems

perspective provides a tool to check that the opportunities being explored are comprehensive and mutually supportive.Traditionally local governments ocused more on the land or ood production, but more recently have begun to look at

the social, environmental and economic opportunities across the other stages o the ood and urban agriculture system.

Figure 6 depicts the key dimensions o the ood system and how the Strategic Directions relate to each.

Fiur :Key dimensions o the ood system

Food Waste& Recovery

Eating &Celebration

Land &Space for

Agriculture

Education &Governance

Buying &Selling

Farming& Food

Production

Processing &Distribution

Develop Local FoodInfrastructure Capacity

Grow Local Food Supplyand Demand

Treat Food Waste asa Resource

Provide Basic FoodSkill Education and

Information

Establish the EdmontonFood Council

Integrate Land forAgriculture

Enliven the Public RealmThrough a Diversity of

Food Activities

Support Urban Farmers

and Ecological Approachesto Farming

Expand UrbanAgriculture


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TRTEGI DIRETIO DREOMMEDTIO


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section 5 strategic directions and recommendations

resh includes Strategic

Directions and each is supported

by specic Recommendations.

The Recommendations contained

in this section provide direction

and actions that will help to

realize the Vision, Goals and

Objectives, taking advantage othe strong relationships, assets

and opportunities that already

exist in Edmonton. Future

adoption and implementation

o the Recommendations willposition the City o Edmonton

to become a leading example

or municipal ood and urban

agriculture initiatives.

The placement and numbering o the Strategic Directions

and their Recommendations do not denote a hierarchy, or an

order in which they are expected to be addressed. They are

numbered simply or organizational and reerence purposes.

It is also important to note that although the Recommendations

are generally directed to the City o Edmonton (including both

City Council and Administration) this does not mean that the

City o Edmonton is the only party responsible or taking action

to realize them. There are numerous partners and supporters

who will be expected to participate in implementing the Food

and Urban Agriculture Strategy. In act, the energy, enthusiasm

and commitment o every one in Edmonton who grows and

enjoys local ood will be required in order or resh to succeed.

That circle o partnerships includes community groups, oindustry leaders, o the ederal and provincial governments,

o developers, o neighbourhood associations, o armers and

gardeners, o retailers and restaurateurs.

Many o the Recommendations contain examples o initiatives

or actions that may be undertaken. The examples are provided

as a starting point and are not meant to be exhaustive. As the

work gets underway and particular projects and initiatives

evolve, there will no doubt be other opportunities or action

that will arise.

A number o the Strategys oals, Strategic Directions and

Recommendations may be achieved in the short-term, but

there is no doubt that many are ambitious and will require

a number o years to be ully realized. This does not mean

we shouldnt embark on the journey, only that we must

acknowledge that we are not going to arrive tomorrow.

fresh.edmontons food & urban agriculture strategy.


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.. CoNtext

The City o Edmontons Municipal Development Plan, TheWay We Grow, specically includes direction to establish an

Edmonton Food Council (EFC). This point was highlighted

when the Terms o Reerence were created or the

development o the Food and Urban Agriculture Strategy.

It was also strongly supported by stakeholders and the

community during the consultation phase as a key pillar

in implementing the Strategy and in making Edmonton a

leader in ood and urban agriculture over the long term.

But what is a ood council? Typically, a ood council brings

together stakeholders rom various ood-related sectors

to examine how the ood system is operating and to advise

on how to improve it. Food councils may take many orms,

sometimes commissioned by government and sometimes

through a strong grassroots and community eort. Food

councils have been successul at educating ofcialsand the public, shaping policy, improving coordination

between existing programs and starting new initiatives.

Over 200 towns and cities across North America haveormed ood councils. These councils have a range o

roles and responsibilities, but all provide a ormal avenue

or a broad range o individuals and organizations with

ood and agriculture related interests to network and

provide service to the greater community. Some councils

are closely linked to municipal decision-making and have

clear lines o communication with municipal government,

while others have an arms length relationship to local

government and are more ocused on grassroots action.

enerally, ood councils in Canada and the United States

are advisory bodies to city councils, providing sta and

elected ofcials with a single point o connection to a

broad network o ood and urban agriculture initiatives and

perspectives. They provide guidance and implementation

support to municipalities in the diverse and complex social

and political climate o ood and urban agriculture.

.

Eucti &Gvrc

o:

ESABLISH HEEDMONON FOOD COUNCIL


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.. reCommeNdAtioNS

1 Etbli t Et F Cucil (EFC)by Ju , . The EFC will represent abroad set o interests with a mandate to advise

on matters o ood and urban agriculture

and to take an active role in supporting the

implementation o the Strategy. Activities o

the EFC could include, but are not limited to:

proposing priorities and a work plan to the City by

December 3, 203

providing advice on ood & urban agriculture issues

identiying emerging issues and

potential solutions

monitoring and reporting on progress o

the Strategy

playing a networking and connecting role

between the many partners involved with

implementing the Strategy

acilitating collaboration between City

departments and linking the City to

community partners

hosting community orums and undertaking

other orms o engagement and education on

ood & urban agriculture topics

hosting community orums and undertaking

other orms o engagement and education on

ood & urban agriculture topics

2 Explr t crti Et FCrtr. One o the key directions rom TheWay We Grow was the creation o an Edmonton

Food Charter. The Advisory Committee

discussions recognized that although ood

charters can be useul, and have been in

other jurisdictions, the strong oundation

provided by the Vision and Goals o thisStrategy may serve the same purpose as

that o a ood charter. At the same time, the

Advisory Committee also acknowledged that

the development o an Edmonton Food Charter

could be undertaken in uture i the community

and stakeholders elt it necessary.

Prvi pprprit upprti rurc tt EFC, which might include:

i. At least one ull-time sta position to

support the EFC.

ii. An operating budget and clerical support

or meetings.



37/94

.. iNkS to oASsTaTeg deTon : Ebh h Eoo Foo Co

GOAL LINKS

A stronger, more vibrant

local economy

The Edmonton Food Council will support every goal o the

Strategy and can oer support specic to:

Starting new initiatives

Providing advice and inormation to the City and

the community

Shaping public policy

Improving coordination between existing programs and

initiatives

A healthier, more

food-secure community

More attractive, vibrant,

and unique places

Healthier ecosystems

Less Energy, Emissions, Waste

.


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.. CoNtextIn todays world, our understanding o where our ood

comes rom has substantially diminished and our

connection to the ood system is broken. As a result,

people in communities o all sizes have lost basic ood

growing, preserving and preparing skills. Edmonton is

no dierent, although we do have organizations and

initiatives in place that are addressing this knowledge

gap and acknowledging the links between basic ood

skill education and health. Food skill education can take

many orms, rom active programming (such as cooking

lessons at community kitchens and gardening workshopsin community gardens) to more passive strategies (such

as signage around demonstration gardens and community

orchards).

There is a need to increase the capacity and opportunities

or people to build and sustain relationships and

networks, improve partnerships among new and existing

organizations, increase consumer knowledge, increaseparticipation in ood growing, preserving and preparing

activities and generally raise awareness or all citizens.

Yet while there are a wide range o ood-related

organizations, businesses, and institutions involved with

ood skill education there is no central place that links

them and creates a orum or networking, leveraging

resources, supporting promotion and marketing eorts by

providing ood and urban agriculture inormation, events,

and initiatives.

Food skill education (as well as other topics in the Strategy)

can be supported and acilitated by a central educational

resource that enables access to an array o ood system

inormation. Throughout the consultation, people said

an online inormation centre would be a undamental

resource. In addition, we heard that strong collaborative

eorts to develop and support education and training

opportunities by various community, educational and city

agencies would be vital.

Eucti &Gvrc

o:

PROVIDE FOOD SKILLEDUCAION AND

INFORMAION



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3

.. reCommeNdAtioNS

1 Wrk wit t Et F Cucil vriu prtr (uc Nrtl, tUivrity Albrt, NAI tr) tprvi ultipl lri pprtuiti ky urb ricultur tpic iititiv. Using multiple orms o media (e.g.,presentations, print, radio, social media), such

orums may include but are not limited to:

Food policy presentation/discussion

Basic ood skill education such as growing,

preserving, and cooking

Buy local and eat local campaigns

2 Wrk wit prtr uc Nrtl tc xiti cpcity r irtiri t t y rizti,bui, ci ititutiivlv i urb ricultur.

Crt il prtl r wi-r urb ricultur irti

ucti. This could include inormation ontopics such as:

How to nd a community garden plot

How to access health and saety inormation on

ood processing and preparation

Key resources or start-up businesses (e.g. health

and saety requirements and resources or

ood processing)

Calendar o ood and urban agriculture events

Culinary programs that have a local

ood component

Online engagement tools such as ood

asset mapping

Links to other inormation sources

Links to the Edmonton Food Council and other

city departments with a role in implementing

the Strategy

Inormation or new urban armers on a range

o topics such as accessing land, rules and

regulations or arming in the city, micro-loan

programs, support programs, armer networks,

ecological arming practices and more

A armer-to-landowner match program that

connects land available or lease with armers

looking or land

4 A p Et yt t.

i. Develop an open-source online tool to map

the various ood assets in Edmontons ood

system, including ood processing, storage,

distribution and retail. This inormation

would provide a baseline rom which to

measure progress on implementation o

the Strategy.

ii. A key component o the asset map toolis the development o relationships with

partners, and the ability or anyone to

contribute to the mapping. Food assets

could include but are not limited to:

Agricultural land

Community gardens

rocery stores

Farmers markets

Food and culture-related gathering places

Street vendors

Local ood restaurants

Food estivals

Meal programs provided by socialservice agencies


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3


5 Supprt trip trii r urb ricultur. Develop learning programs in partnershipwith key organizations such as Northlands, educational institutions and community projects at the

neighbourhood level. Possible examples include, but are not limited to:

Employment programs or vulnerable populations

through a partnership with social service agencies

and local ood businesses

Using existing community assets (such as

community gardens, community leagues, canning

and cooking clubs) as anchors or neighbourhood

level learning programs, such as ood production,

processing, preservation, and cooking

Partnering with culinary programs to pilot urban

agriculture learning programs and innovative

projects in neighbourhoods and communities

.. iNkS to oAS

sTaTeg deTon : Po Foo S Eo I

GOAL LINKS

A stronger,

more vibrant

local economy

New and existing businesses can increase capacity and networking

opportunities by consolidating the wide range o inormation on rules,

regulations, and resources or starting a new ood business, learning where

to access consistent supply and high-quality local ood and sponsorship

opportunities. Food skill education will increase consumer awareness around

local ood and shit part o household spending to local ood businesses.

A healthier,

more food-secure

community

Broad-based ood skill education will increase participation in ood growing,

preserving, and preparing activities and will help to increase healthy ood

options or Edmontonians. An online ood inormation centre could provide

networking, resource sharing, and overall coordination capacity or the

organizations involved in providing ood skill education.

More attractive,

vibrant, and

unique places

An online ood inormation centre can provide inormation on ood and

agriculture related events, patios in the city, ood truck locations, community

gardens, armers markets, and other important ood places in Edmonton.

Healthier

ecosystems

An online ood inormation centre can provide inormation, links and resources

or topics such as ecological arm practices and best practices in armland

stewardship in order to support a shit to more ecologically sound ood and

urban agriculture activities.

Less Energy,

Emissions, Waste

Providing inormation to armers, ood processors, and others on how

to reduce ood and packaging waste will increase energy efciency in the

ood system.

fresh.edmontons food & urban agriculture strategy.3


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33

.. CoNtextUrban agriculture is the practice o cultivating, processing,

and distributing ood in and around towns and cities. It

has been increasing in popularity in Edmonton and has

expanded rom the amiliar private backyard garden

into community spaces such as parks, school grounds,

vacant lots and boulevards. Currently, there are over 60

community gardens in Edmonton (many o which have

waiting lists) and dozens o organizations engaged in

urban agriculture activities. As well, Edmonton has large

scale commercial market gardens within its boundaries.

There are multiple reasons or this growing interest in

urban agriculture, including having more control over what

we eat and where our ood comes rom to building a better

understanding o the connection between ood and health,

the local economy and the environment. New growing

techniques and technologies that allow ood to be grown

almost anywhere are also helping to drive this change.

Hydroponics, SPIN arming, aquaponics, containergardens, and vertical growing systems, among other

methods, are becoming more available as production

alternatives. There are also several demonstration and

research projects and initiatives in Edmonton exploring

the opportunities behind non-soil based ood production.

1 Bk, M. J. N. 000. F Bw G: P F

Nh A C. C Nw. 1999/W

000:6

Building on this new interest, the City o Edmonton could

play a signicant role in encouraging the practice o ood

growing in urban areas in sae and eective ways, through

guidelines, regulations and permitting. The City can also

enable and acilitate by increasing public awareness,

brokering partnerships, removing barriers and creating

opportunities or businesses, providing initial operational

and material support to organizations, and leading by

example with initiatives such as edible landscaping.

Capitalizing on Edmontons existing strengths and

assets in urban agriculture will lead to strong growth andbenets to many, including small businesses, non-prots,

community groups, and citizens. The public benets could

include a more resilient local ood supply chain, increased

community participation in the ood system, a greater

diversity o resh ood sources, healthier ecosystems and

improved efciencies in the distribution o ood.

FPructi

o:

EXPAND URBANAGRICULURE

3


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.. reCommeNdAtioNS

1 Puru urb ricultur pprtuiti ixiti vlpi ibur,including but not limited to the ollowing:

i. Creating an inventory o public and private

lands in the city that could be used or a

variety o urban agriculture activities.

ii. Creating and apply guidelines to integrate

urban agriculture into public spaces, such

as streets and boulevards, parks and plazas.

iii. Considering the development o an

edible landscaping strategy with ruit

trees and edible plants that will grow in

the Edmonton climate and are on the

allowable plant list and in the Urban Parks

Management Plan.

iv. Exploring opportunities or agro-orestry

v. Working with developers to provide land

and inrastructure or urban agriculture,

or example or:

community gardens (including beds, tool

sheds, soil, and water hook-ups)

community orchards, ood orests and

berry patches.

vi. Evaluating the agri-hood model

currently being developed or the City

Centre Lands or its eectiveness and

potential as a demonstration or how other

developers/builders in Edmonton can

integrate ood growing areas into new andredeveloping neighbourhoods.

vii. Working with home builders to provide

inormation to home buyers on top soil

depth requirements or growing a range o

ood crops.

viii. Assessing the regulatory barriers or

green roos in order to encourage ood

production on rootops.

ix. Encouraging more urban agriculture

activities or public recreation and public

benet on portions o Municipal Reserve,

or on negotiated non-credit Municipal

Reserve lands (or example or community

gardens and orchards, outdoor eating

and gathering areas, walking paths with

edible landscaping).

2 Dvlp prtrip t upprt ivtii urb ricultur including:

i. Working with partners (such as Northlands,

NAIT, University o Alberta) to test

innovative technologies and approaches

or producing and processing ood in

urban spaces.

ii. Exploring the easibility o alternative

energy sources or greenhouse ood

production (e.g., utilizing waste heat in

greenhouse production) with partners

such as the University o Alberta

and Northlands.



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3

Supprt r-prt urb pri-urb ricultur, including:

i. Assessing regulatory barriers to allow and encourage urban compatible ood production,

processing and selling activities (e.g., garden gate sales) within residential and other zones.

ii. Considering the creation o specialized business permits, regulations and guidelines or

commercial urban agriculture operations that encompass health and saety requirements and

good-neighbour practices or a range o production types, such as market gardens, sharing

backyards and non-soil-based orms o production (e.g. greenhouses and aquaponics).

4 Exi pprtuiti r citiz t kp b ri .i. Partner with local non-prots to assist in the evaluation o the implications o allowing urban bee

keeping. City sta to report ndings to City Council.

ii. Partner with local non-prots to assist in the evaluation o the implications o allowing urban

backyard hens. City sta to report ndings to City Council.

.. iNkS to oAS

sTaTeg deTon : Ex Ub A

GOAL LINKS

A stronger,

more vibrant

local economy

Urban agriculture can provide viable, commercial business opportunities in

the areas o ood production (and related processing and retailing), and the

development and application o new technologies and methods or growing

large volumes o ood in small spaces.

A healthier,

more food-secure

community

Urban agriculture can help to provide resilience in the event o ood supply

chain interruptions (rom market shits in commodities or weather events, or

instance). It can also help address ood-related health and access issues, and

increase community participation in the ood system.

More attractive,

vibrant, and

unique places

Increasing the diversity and visibility o ood-growing in Edmonton adds

interest and animation to the public realm. A broad spectrum o urban

agriculture activities increases access to the diversity o sources o reshproduce within neighbourhoods.

Healthier

ecosystems

Urban agriculture can support urban ecosystem services such as stormwater

management and habitat areas or songbirds, bees, and other species.

Less Energy,

Emissions, Waste

closer to home shortens the supply chain, enabling energy and organic

matter to be more efciently recycled. As well, the need or packaging can be

decreased and transportation efciencies can reduce energy use.

.

Str &Ditributi


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.. CoNtextAs local ood production increases, there will be greater demand or the

inrastructure required to get products efciently to market, including

processing, storage and distribution capacity. Currently in Edmonton there

is a lack o inrastructure or small to medium-sized businesses to eectively

access wholesale and retail markets. Increasing local processing, storage, and

distribution capacity would create opportunities or businesses to provide

Edmonton, and the region, with a wider range and volume o local ood products.

This creates efciency and convenience both or local ood businesses and or

local ood consumers. Much o the value in the ood system is concentrated in

the inrastructure part o the chain, oten called the middle.

Rebuilding the middle o the ood system between production and

consumption requires a holistic view o a resilient ood system. This holistic

approach also requires that we recognize the diversity o scale and players

involved in our local ood system. The inrastructure needs o private businesses

would not be the same as the inrastructure needs or organizations and groups

at the community and neighbourhood level, such as community leagues and

other non-prot groups. For example, appropriate warehouse spaces or

medium-sized local ood businesses require dierent supports than upgrading

community league halls with certied commercial kitchens. Addressing the

gaps or all players involved strengthens the ood system as a whole.

One specic example o local ood inrastructure is the ood hub concept.

As a growing practice across North America (some in partnership with local

governments) ood hubs are centrally located multi-purpose acilities that

have the capacity to perorm various business unctions. Typically ood hubs

involve clustering mutually benecial activities together or multiple users,

Prci

o:

DEVELOP LOCAL FOODINFRASRUCURE CAPACIY



45/94

3

gaining the benet o coordinating these activities in one

location. Food hubs oten create opportunities or small

scale producers to access services that they could not

individually, like marketing, distribution, customer liaising,

processing and selling to wholesalers.

The ood hub concept is exible, and any ood hub

venture will reect the needs o the suppliers and

customers involved in creating that ood hub enterprise.

As a result, the purpose, activities and users o oods hub

could vary greatly. Some ood hubs are designed primarilyor commercial uses, to give businesses access to storage,

aggregation, and distribution services. Other ood hubs

may have a more customer and social ocus, with services

such as retail space or a armers market, educational

and cultural programs, operating space or non-prots or

special event venues. The point is that good things happen

when people congregate and cooperate around ood.

Improved ood system inrastructure benets would

include the ability to add-value and prepare goods or

market, warehouse and cold-store products, gather similar

products together rom multiple producers and ensurethat health and saety regulations are met.

.. reCommeNdAtioNS

1 Ait i crti pprprit pc

pprtuiti r lcl buit prt xp. Work closelywith key partners such as Northlands and

businesses o diverse sizes and interests

within the processing, storage, distribution,

wholesale, and retail parts o the local ood

system to identiy the needs and gaps in

inrastructure capacity.

2 Puru prtrip wit privt bui tr cic ci xitblii crcil/privt ctrAri-F Hub. Work with key partnersand stakeholders, such as Northlands and

the Province o Alberta, to envision and test

the easibility o a ood hub or Edmonton.

Possible unctions o the ood hub could

include, but are not limited to, the provision o

a certied commercial kitchen, a permanent

armers market location, extension services

or producers, and aggregation, storage and

distribution capacity. Ensure the Edmonton

Agri-Food Hub complements other ood

hubs in the region (such as the Leduc FoodProcessing Development Centre).

Ait i iprvi ibur-cl irtructur. Working closely withcommunity organizations, community leagues,

and the Edmonton Food Council to identiy

and improve existing acilities and programswith appropriately scaled inrastructure. This

could include the creation o small-scale

neighbourhood ood hubs, upgrading to

commercial kitchens, purchasing processing

and storage equipment, and other initiatives

based on the needs and resources o specic

communities and neighbourhoods.


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.. iNkS to oAS

sTaTeg deTon : Do Lo Foo I C

GOAL LINKS

A stronger,

more vibrant

local economy

Local ood inrastructure can provide capacity or business start-ups and be

scaled to meet the needs o local producers. Jobs are created to operate these

acilities and the capacity to add value to ood products is increased.

A healthier,

more food-secure

community

Increasing the capacity or local ood processing, storage and distribution

results in more local oods available to customers. Food hubs can also provide

important ood education resources such as community kitchens.

More attractive,

vibrant, and

unique places

Food hubs can be active, vibrant places that become the heart o a community,

as well as provide a visitor attraction.

Less Energy,Emissions, Waste

Improved inrastructure increases opportunities or efciencies, including

those that help address energy use, emissions and waste. There may also beexpanded opportunities or green energy technologies with new or improved

inrastructure projects.


Buyi &


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Buyi &Slli

.. CoNtextMore and more people are choosing to buy local oods

through armers markets, arm gate stands, restaurants

and mainstream retail outlets. The expanding demand or

local ood has begun to move up the supply chain, bringing

a new wave o entrepreneurs and transorming how

wholesale purchasers can source their products. However,

local ood is not always conveniently available and as

a result there is a gap between consumers preerence

or local ood, and what they actually spend their ood

money on.

A Resilient Food System

As the Advisory Committee worked through the Strategy

development process, it aced some undamental

questions, not all o which can be answered by this

Strategy or in a single, multi stakeholder process. A

number o these undamental questions about building a

local ood system include:

How should cities develop specic strategies in order

to ensure a resilient local ood supply system?

Is the purpose o this system to protect citizens rom

major shocks to the ood supply system, and/or to

enable and encourage local supply and demand or

local oods, together with oods rom arther away?

I so, what is local in that context within city limits,

the region, within a 600km radius?

By ood supply resilience, do we mean just in theoods we grow or local use, versus export?

iven the challenges o achieving a ully sel-

sufcient local ood system, should we set our sights

on a percentage target o local resh ood that we

aspire to produce locally?

What is the role o innovation and technology in ood

production in terms o sel-sufciency, such as non-

soil based growing techniques?

To what extent does ood sel-sufciency require

land preservation within the city limits or within

the region?

This Strategy makes tangible strides to expand, diversiy,

and strengthen local ood production and urban

agriculture in our city and it provides a ramework to

build a robust local ood system. It does not mark the

endpoint o a process in determining supply and demand

targets or a resilient ood system. It provides a rst

ootprint, and urther steps are necessary.

o:

GROW LOCAL FOODSUPPLY AND DEMAND


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Steps in Growing Local Food Supply and Demand

rowing local ood supply and demand is opportunity-

driven, and there are multiple approaches to achieving

this aim across the ood system. From a retail perspective,

leveraging the existing strengths and assets in Edmonton

will be key. One example would be improving access to

local oods by strengthening our armers markets. In

terms o marketing eorts or local products, a labelling

or identication system or local products and services

would bolster the growth o the supply and demand. Inturn, this would encourage more mainstream retailers

and wholesalers to make more local oods more

readily available.

In addition, the City o Edmonton has an opportunity

to lead by example by creating a local ood purchasing

policy. This could encourage other large organizations, like

educational institutions, hospitals, and large corporations

to ollow suit, thereby creating a signicant impact on

local ood demand.

Public sector community ood hubs can ocus on the

opportunities that stem rom involving and gathering

people together in smaller scale ood and urban

agriculture activities, diering in purpose and ocus than

the commercial and Agri-ood hub recommended under

the previous Strategic Direction. These activities might

include social services such as a ood bank, a resh ood

box program, space or non-prots, special event venues,

educational and cultural programs and workshops anddiverse opportunities to access employment in ood and

urban agriculture. A community ood hub is also an ideal

venue and tool to address the social issues o hunger and

access to healthy oods. Vibrant community ood hubs

also contribute to increasing the number o people who

are involved in helping to grow the supply and demand o

local ood.

.. reCommeNdAtioNS

1 Rqut tt t Et F Cucilxi lcl yt rilicby analyzing appropriate outcomes, measures

and targets or local ood production.

2 Crt prtrip t trt ivriy t lcl cy, icluibut t liit t:

i.Investigating locations o existingacilities/programs that could be used or

local ood business incubation

(e.g. Northlands sites).

ii. Identiying opportunities to increase the

availability o local ood within mainstream

wholesale and retail ood distribution.

iii. Leveraging innovative technologies to

expand emerging local ood businesses

being conducted, or example, in

regional research acilities and post-

secondary institutions.

Strt rr rkt, thiscould include:

i.Supporting the development o newmarkets to increase demand and

provide opportunities or new and

emerging vendors.

ii. Developing innovative approaches and

supports to strengthen and sustain

Edmontons existing armers markets.



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4 Icr lcl purci witi City

Et prti, which could include:

i. Setting local ood targets and establishing

contract terms or suppliers to increase

these targets over time.

ii. Increasing purchases o local ood products

or caeterias, concessions, catering,

and vending machines within City o

Edmonton acilities.iii. Using the results o the above to help

develop local ood procurement policies or

the City o Edmonton.

5 Wrk wit t Prvic Albrt tr

iutry tklr uc Nrtlt vlp /ri/rw-i-Albrtiticti yt.

6 Puru prtrip wit -prt tr ci uc CuityF Ctr C t tbli public

ctr Et Cuity F Hub.Possible unctions could include social

services such as a ood bank, a resh ood

box program, space or non-prots, special

event venues, educational and cultural

programs and workshops and small scale

commercial opportunities that provide access

to employment and training in ood and

urban agriculture.

.. iNkS to oAS

sTaTeg deTon : Go Lo Foo S D

GOAL LINKS

A stronger,

more vibrant

local economy

Increasing the dollar value o the local ood economy allows more investmentto be kept in the community. Locally spent dollars work harder and generate

more prot and income or a range o local ood businesses across the ood

and urban agriculture value chain.

A healthier,

more food-secure

community

Linking the demand or resh, high-quality ood to local supply through

programs and acilities increases the availability and accessibility o local ood

or all o Edmonton.

More attractive,

vibrant, and

unique places

Establishing places to purchase, taste and experience local ood oers a

unique opportunity to create exciting places that are buzzing with activity.

Less Energy,

Emissions, Waste

Buying ood that is grown/raised/made closer to home can reduce energy

costs and the need or packaging perishable items oten associated with

long-distance travel.

.

Eti &C l b i


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.. CoNtextFood is the great place-maker. It is evident every day that ood plays an integral role in

our lives and that we enjoy the time we spend accompanied by ood: the coee break,

the business lunch, dinner with riends, weekend brunch, dinner and a movie, holiday

meals with amily. Food draws people to plazas and streetscapes, and people draw

more people, and so on, until a space that might normally be quiet and underutilized

is suddenly ull o lie. Edmonton, Canadas Festival City, is no stranger to animating

public spaces with music, street lie, entertainment and oodwith targeted events

such as the What the Truck?! Festival, A Taste o Edmonton, Heritage Festival or

indirectly through outdoor caes and armers markets.

People also tend to ock to where good ood is being made, served and enjoyed. WhyteAvenue and 24th Street have their air share o ood destinations and enjoy success

attracting people and activity. Many o Edmontons ood trucks sell out even beore

the lunch hour begins. With all o the ches, restaurants, caes, and ood trucksnot

to mention community gardens and other high-visibility ood placesEdmonton is

well on its way to building a vibrant ood culture. Strengthening and supporting this

emerging ood culture to make Edmonton a great ood city is a natural opportunity.

Clbrti

o:

ENLIVEN HE PUBLIC REALMHROUGH A DIVERSIY OF

FOOD ACIVIIES



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.. reCommeNdAtioNS

1 Clbrt prt lcl prucr,cuity r, rw,ri i Et through suchinitiatives as:

i. Creating an annual Local Food Festival or

partnering with other estivals.

ii. Partnerships with the Ministry o Tourism

and Northlands to coordinate sponsorship,

timing, location and promotions.

iii. Engaging local ood producers, ches,

restaurateurs and ood businesses, as

well as immigrant group associations and

social service providers, to participate in

celebrations and events.

2 Exi City rulti t llw, wrpprprit, prt tprryiwlk pti which could:

i. Enable restaurants, caes and pubs in all

areas o Edmonton to have seasonal patios.

ii. Encourage patio requirements in theconstruction o new streets and sidewalks

and the permitting o new buildings.

Supprt wi r rtil i w xiti ibur t prtcvit ptri cc t lty urc.

i. Investigate the impacts o placing

restrictive covenants on grocery store

sites and exploring the Citys means to halt

such practices.

ii. Enable resh ood kiosks and mobile

markets to locate in or near ood deserts

and pedestrian trafc areas such as

LRT stations, community centres and

sports complexes.

4 Ctiu t buil t ucc trtvr, which could include:

i. Encourage more vendors to participate.

ii. Support the What the Truck Festival and/

or hosting a ood truck day as an important

and unique part o Edmontons ood culture.

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sTaTeg deTon : E Th Pb R Thoh D o Foo A

GOAL LINKS

A stronger,

more vibrant

local economy

Creating places that attract people or multiple reasons is good or business.

Supporting small business development in Edmonton, specically in the local

ood sector, helps to establish great ood places.

A healthier,

more food-secure

community

Neighbourhood-scale ood retail increases geographic access to resh ood

sources and provides more opportunity or more people to include resh

ood in their diets. Having visible aspects o ood such as edible landscaping

and sidewalk patios as part o Edmontons landscape increases exposure to

Edmontons ood culture and helps to increase awareness about the health

and joy that ood can bring to individuals and amilies.

More attractive,

vibrant, and

unique places

Food in public and semi-public places (e.g., streets, sidewalk patios) creates

more vibrant, attractive, and unique places or Edmontonians and visitors.


F Wt &Rcvry


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REA FOOD WASEAS A RESOURCE

.. CoNtextFood waste occurs throughout the ood system: excessive production; product deemed

unt or sale; excessive purchasing practices; spoilage due to delivery or purchase delays;

inappropriate and ineective processing resulting in quality portions wasted; damaged and

lost ood as a resu

fresh - edmonton food & agriculture policy

Documents