The Vancouver Food Policy Council would like to welcome and congratulate the newly-elected and returning City Councilors, Park Board Commissioners and School Board Trustees.
In the lead up to the municipal election we sent all candidates a survey to ask what their food priorities are, what they will commit to, and their strategies to address pressing issues in our city. The Vancouver Food Policy Council would like to thank Camil Dumont, Christine Boyle, Brandon Yan, Justin P. Goodrich, Kennedy Stewart and Estrellita Gonzalez for taking the time to participate in our survey.
To begin to build accountability between the new City Council and the Food Movement, here are the answers to the questions we asked, from those candidates who were elected and are now acting as City Councillors, Park Board Commissioners and School Board Trustees. We look forward to beginning our work together in Vancouver.
1. What do you think Vancouver’s role is in advancing just and sustainable food systems? Please rank from 1 (least important) to 5 (most important)
Camil Dumont, Green Party, Elected Parks Board Commissioner
- Invest in urban food projects through grants and funding: 4
- Develop innovative new policies and regulations to create a just and sustainable food system: 5
- Establish partnerships with private businesses, non-profit groups, and volunteers: 5
- Increase public awareness of the link between local food and a healthy environment: 5
- Increase city and neighbourhood food assets by 50%: 5
- Advocate to Provincial and Federal Government: 5
Christine Boyle, OneCity, Elected City Councillor
- Invest in urban food projects through grants and funding: 5
- Develop innovative new policies and regulations to create a just and sustainable food system: 5
- Establish partnerships with private businesses, non-profit groups, and volunteers: 5
- Increase public awareness of the link between local food and a healthy environment: 5
- Increase city and neighbourhood food assets by 50%: 5
- Advocate to Provincial and Federal Government: 5
Kennedy Stewart, Independent, Elected Mayor
- Invest in urban food projects through grants and funding: 5
- Develop innovative new policies and regulations to create a just and sustainable food system: 5
- Establish partnerships with private businesses, non-profit groups, and volunteers: 5
- Increase public awareness of the link between local food and a healthy environment: 5
- Increase city and neighbourhood food assets by 50%: 3
- Advocate to Provincial and Federal Government: 5
Estrellita Gonzalez, Green Party, Elected School Board Trustee
- Invest in urban food projects through grants and funding: 4
- Develop innovative new policies and regulations to create a just and sustainable food system: 5
- Establish partnerships with private businesses, non-profit groups, and volunteers: 5
- Increase public awareness of the link between local food and a healthy environment: 5
- Increase city and neighbourhood food assets by 50%: 4
- Advocate to Provincial and Federal Government: 4
2. One in six BC children lives in a food insecure household, and poor nutrition negatively affects people across the socio-economic spectrum. We also know that better nutrition enables better learning. Despite this, British Columbia does not have a universal school food program for public school children. What will you do to ensure school-aged children have access to local, healthy meals?
Camil Dumont, Green Party, Elected Parks Board Commissioner
No child should ever want for food to eat. We need to make this a priority. That kids are going hungry in this city is outrageous. We need to work with the organizations that are already effectively tackling this issue and figure out how to increase their scope. We need to assist in making the funding happen for programs that ensure kids get what they need.
Christine Boyle, OneCity, Elected City Councillor
OneCity supports universal school food programs, to increase access to local, healthy meals, and to de-stigmatize meal programs. Our school board candidates (incumbent Carrie Bercic, along with Erica Jaaf and Jennifer Reddy) will push hard to expand healthy breakfast and lunch programs in schools.
Kennedy Stewart, Independent, Elected Mayor
I would support the existing food programs and press the provincial government to do more, especially for children in vulnerable groups.
Estrellita Gonzalez, Green Party, Elected School Board Trustee
As a VSB Trustee running again, one of my key issues is food quality. I would work with our Park Board and City Council to look at ways of using public land including schools to host gardens on every school and include things like bees where possible. This food could be used by VSB to be made onsite at a culinary school (or commissary idea) and distributed to our schools for school cafeterias and food programs for vulnerable kids. We could hire a Nutritionist to provide nutritious meal plans and develop a program throughout the VSB to leverage our facilities, work with non-profit groups and the MOE to develop a food policy for schools.
3. Goal 10 of the Greenest City Action Plan was for Vancouver to become a global leader in urban food systems and in 2018 the Food Sector was the fastest growing green job sector. What do you think the City can do to support marginalized and vulnerable people working in the food system?
Camil Dumont, Green Party, Elected Parks Board Commissioner
That’s a great question. I’m an urban farmer professionally and I am one of the people this question is talking about. I think the city could identify the food assets that fit its criteria and then work to encourage and develop policy that incentivizes the identified projects and enables them to flourish.
Christine Boyle, OneCity, Elected City Councillor
OneCity supports equity-based micro-employment programs, such as SoleFood’s urban agriculture efforts, United We Can’s green recycling jobs, and more, that seek to provide support and flexibility for marginalized and vulnerable people seeking meaningful work. As well we will fight hard for more low-income housing and supports, so that people can have the housing security necessary to transition to stable work.
Kennedy Stewart, Independent, Elected Mayor
I will continue with the Greenest City action plan and continue to press for an increase to the minimum wage.
Estrellita Gonzalez, Green Party, Elected School Board Trustee
Hire and teach them. Give them plots to manage.
4. What do you think the City can do to play a bigger role in protecting/valuing farming in the region given the City’s reliance on BC farms for their food?
Camil Dumont, Green Party, Elected Parks Board Commissioner
Define what exactly “local-sustainable” food means and what it looks like. Develop metrics formulated to calculate which models most support local-sustainable farms. Then build incentives for the restaurant and/or food distribution sectors to support whatever criteria has been developed. Make sure the market (the city) is in partnership with local and sustainable food producers (usually rural spaces.)
Christine Boyle, OneCity, Elected City Councillor
It’s important that the City of Vancouver support protection of ALR lands, and work collaboratively across the region and the province to lift up the importance of that land and of British Columbia agriculture.
Kennedy Stewart, Independent, Elected Mayor
I want to work to protect the Agricultural Land reserve and make sure these lands are used for farming and not for residential development.
Estrellita Gonzalez, Green Party, Elected School Board Trustee
Protect ALR land, encourage the buying of food produced within 50 kms, encourage organic food or growing our own, we can and should!
5. The City is in consultation around how to plan for the False Creek Flats Arterial Route (east-west). The VFPC sees the food distribution businesses (‘Produce Row’) situated on and adjacent to Malkin Ave as essential food assets that support our Province’s access to healthy food. Pending the results of the consultation process – would you vote to protect Malkin Ave and “Produce Row’?
Camil Dumont, Green Party, Elected Parks Board Commissioner: Yes
Christine Boyle, OneCity, Elected City Councillor: Yes
Kennedy Stewart, Independent, Elected Mayor: Yes
Estrellita Gonzalez, Green Party, Elected School Board Trustee:
6. One-third of the food produced in our food system is never consumed. The food system also contributes significantly to plastic waste in the form of packaging and single-use containers. Food-system waste is an economic, social and environmental problem that occurs in all sectors the food system. How can the City enable small businesses to tackle the food waste and plastics used in serving food?
Camil Dumont, Green Party, Elected Parks Board Commissioner
Make it easy for that food that is potentially going to be wasted to be prepared and used. Even if it has to be a charity model at times, so be it. It’s not ok that in our community we have people dealing with chronic food insecurity while at the same time large amounts of edible food is wasted. I would need to see specific cases to elaborate further but there is no excuse for the powerful and the privileged amongst us to ignore this issue. I consider the City very powerful. In addition, we need a massive reduction in packaging and plastics of all kind.
Christine Boyle, OneCity, Elected City Councillor
Increasing the number of food sorting bins throughout main streets, and food sorting/compost/recycling options for small businesses. OneCity is also proposing a differential tax rate that would mean small and local businesses pay less business tax than global multinational companies. We hope to take some pressure off small businesses, while having the city work with them to implement greener business options. More here: http://www.onecityvancouver.ca/protectlocalbusiness
Kennedy Stewart, Independent, Elected Mayor
I will follow the work the city is currently doing to reduce food waste and plastics used in serving food.
Estrellita Gonzalez, Green Party, Elected School Board Trustee
Better recycling, encourage programs that could pick up food destined for the dump. This is being done all over the world.
7. Indigenous food systems continue to be eroded through ongoing colonialism. Indigenous communities are raising concerns regarding the negative impacts of development and extraction projects on their ability to maintain traditional foodlands and waterways. How can the City encourage Indigenous Food Sovereignty in Vancouver?
Camil Dumont, Green Party, Elected Parks Board Commissioner
Mostly listen and value the the input of indigenous food system experts. And if that means spending some money, so be it. Food and food systems are at the root of health. If we are going to commit to the effort that is reconciliation and hopefully one day true de-colonialization we have to be willing to change. We also have to agree as a community that we will absorb some of the costs that will inevitably come with that change. That’s ok. It’s important.
Christine Boyle, OneCity, Elected City Councillor
Yes. OneCity believes that there is a lot more the City can do to deepen Indigenous Justice in Vancouver, including: http://www.onecityvancouver.ca/indigenous_justice
Kennedy Stewart, Independent, Elected Mayor
With such a large Indigenous population, acknowledging the Indigenous food traditions, we should amplify these traditions and ensure they are part of local food traditions.
Estrellita Gonzalez, Green Party, Elected School Board Trustee
Work with them and find out what THEY want. We are incorporating more indigenous knowledge into the school curriculum, this will help our kids to learn about indigenous people, their history and culture.
8. Food insecurity is directly linked to the unacceptable rates of poverty in BC. In October 2014, City Council adopted a poverty reduction target and in 2015 committed to develop a poverty reduction plan as part of the Healthy City Action Plan (2015-2018). If elected, would you commit to implementing a comprehensive poverty reduction plan with targets and timelines within the next term of office? If yes, what will be your first actions to implement this strategy?
Camil Dumont, Green Party, Elected Parks Board Commissioner
I am running for Park Board so the angle is a little different from some other offices, however, it is very much there. Public space like parks are often the front line for social issues and often a space where people in a desperate state of poverty end up, i.e. living in public spaces. I think we all need to work together to reduce poverty here at home, in BC. I think the Park Board need to be an open and willing partner within a collaborative team of public institutions that takes this issue on. We need to act on recommendations made from community sources and incorporate poverty reduction models that have proven successful in other jurisdictions. We need to make evidence-based decisions regarding poverty reduction that have been informed by rigorous research. We also need community centres to be hubs for all. Access and support in our community spaces must reach out tothe most vulnerable among us in a way that is equitable, does not shame or discriminate and provides welcome and dignity.
Christine Boyle, OneCity, Elected City Councillor
Yes. The City should continue to advocate provincially for a more bold poverty reduction strategy, while strengthening municipal actions including quickly ramping up the building of Temporary Modular Housing, supporting the development of truly affordable non-market housing in every neighbourhood of the city, and more: http://www.onecityvancouver.ca/affordable_city
Kennedy Stewart, Independent, Elected Mayor
The Province has released a poverty action plan and we will work to ensure it is completely implemented in the City of Vancouver.
Estrellita Gonzalez, Green Party, Elected School Board Trustee
At VSB we need to be partners in this.
9. The climate is changing faster than we are and significant mitigation and adaptation action is required for agriculture and food systems. In the upcoming term, how will you integrate food supply issues into the Resilience Strategy and the Renewable City Strategy and ensure that the City’s most marginalized and vulnerable are considered?
Camil Dumont, Green Party, Elected Parks Board Commissioner:
We need to make sure sustainable food systems are developed here in our city. We need to re-invent our relationship with dominant, industrial food. We need to re-imagine our relationship with food animals. We need to acknowledge that every person has the right to healthy food. People need access to food produced in ways that aren’t choking the climate and poisoning land and water. We need to agree on this as a priority. We need to accept that food systems are a massive window into issues of ecological, economic and social justice. Food is sacred and it connects us all. If we can find a way to feed ourselves sustanably we will manage to solve many other problems as well. Access to truly health food must be universal.
Christine Boyle, OneCity, Elected City Councillor
OneCity believes that we need to take bold action in addressing the climate crisis. We will continue to support the direction that Council has taken on Greenest City efforts, while pushing for more of an equity lens, so that it doesn’t feel like environmental efforts are further squeezing low-income people out. Additionally, we want Vancouver to join the campaign to hold big oil companies accountable for their fair share of the costs of climate impacts: http://www.onecityvancouver.ca/climatechangeadaptation
Kennedy Stewart, Independent, Elected Mayor
Yes, we must protect the Agricultural Land reserve to make sure it is as productive as possible for our and future generations. One of the best ways to tackle climate change is to ensure the food we eat is produced locally and we need to make sure we promote this principle within our region.
Estrellita Gonzalez, Green Party, Elected School Board Trustee
VSB can tie into this.
10. Is there any food system issue that is of most interest to you?
Camil Dumont, Green Party, Elected Parks Board Commissioner:
The entire food system and its study is a very big part of my life. What we need is for sustainable food to become dominant food. Right now, the dominant, industrial food system is hurting us on so many levels. And sustainable food, though gaining presence, is still on the fringes of our consumption paradigm. We need to invert that ratio.
Christine Boyle, OneCity, Elected City Councillor
My background (Christine) is in Urban Agriculture (running the school and community garden at Grandview Elementary, and working with families there to move forward Indigenous food sovereignty efforts). I’m passionate about systemic changes that re-localize our food systems, AND I really love cooking and tending to food-gardens with people.
Kennedy Stewart, Independent, Elected Mayor
I want to make sure the most vulnerable people in our city get nutritious meals they need to move their lives forward in a productive and positive way.
Estrellita Gonzalez, Green Party, Elected School Board Trustee
Food quality and location (where is it coming from).
We thank all the candidates for their time and look forward to working with our elected officials on continuing to build a just and sustainable food system!