Incorporating policies for a healthy food system into land use planning: The case of Waterloo Region, Canada

Ellen Desjardins,John Lubczynski,Marc Xuereb

doi:10.5304/jafscd.2011.021.003

Abstract

Land use planning is a critical tool among the strategies needed to redirect our food system into a new trajectory toward improved health, environmental sustainability, and small to midsize farm viability. We present the case of the region of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, where recent revisions to the Regional Official Plan (ROP) now include a suite of specific land use policies related to food. What characterizes food systems planning in Waterloo is the inclusion of both rural and urban land use policies, and close collaboration between the Planning and Public Health departments. This article documents the context in which this partnership took shape, the process of information gathering and community consultation, and the specific food-related policies that were included in the ROP. The relevance of these policies to the local produce auction, community markets, community gardens, and on-farm stores illustrates how policy emerges from practice, and also suggests that policy work is an ongoing work in progress.

Highlights

Land use planning is a critical tool among the strategies needed to redirect our food system into a new trajectory toward improved health, environmental sustainability, small to midsize farm viability, and community engagement
We present here the case of the region of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, where revisions to the Regional Official Plan (ROP) included, for the first time in a Canadian context, a suite of specific landuse policies related to food (Region of Waterloo, 2010a)
Paper: Towards a Healthy Community Food System in Waterloo Region In October 2005, Public Health published a report that summarized the findings of the background studies and related literature, and proposed seven strategic objectives to move toward the goal of a healthy food system, one in which “all residents have access to, and can afford to buy safe, nutritious, culturally acceptable food that has been produced in an environmentally sustainable way and that sustains our rural communities” (Desjardins & Xuereb, 2005, p. 4)

Summary

Introduction

Land use planning is a critical tool among the strategies needed to redirect our food system into a new trajectory toward improved health, environmental sustainability, small to midsize farm viability, and community engagement. Deterioration in these areas have been broadly documented and have led to a growing recognition of the need for policy change, including the consideration of food-related issues when planning our urban communities. Redundant Trade Study: Public Health staff conducted a series of grocery store and farmers’ market audits (including measurement of shelf space) in order to determine the extent to which imported produce was available during the peak season of local produce The analysis showed it to be considerable. Growing Food and Economy Study Rural Health Study Diet, Weight and Diabetes Food Access Study Local Food Buying in Waterloo Region Optimal Nutrition Environment Study Marketing & Branding of “Buy Local Buy Fresh” Urban Agriculture Report Food Flow Analysis Study Food Miles Study Redundant Trade Study Towards a Healthy Community Food System in Waterloo Region Food System Plan for Waterloo Region Neighborhood Markets Evaluation. This study was later published (Desjardins, MacRae, & Schumilas, 2010), and adapted for the city of Toronto (MacRae et al, 2010)

Discussion

Result

Chapter 3. Liveability in Waterloo Region

Findings

Chapter 2. Shaping Waterloo Region’s Urban Communities