York Region Food Charter may offer municipalities new ways to address affordability

A revised York Region Food Charter will be presented to Aurora council this week and the accompanying Action Document outlines initiatives across six themes to support food security, health, local agriculture, environmental stewardship, knowledge sharing and community culture.

A revised York Region Food Charter is due to be presented to Aurora council this week. The Charter is described as a living document that is regularly refreshed to reflect community needs. The update followed 10 months of engagement, five rounds of consultation and input from nearly 300 community members and sector representatives. The revisions are intended to identify opportunities for municipalities to collaborate with regional bodies, local organizations and other partners. Key details: - The updated Food Charter is scheduled for presentation to Aurora Council this week. - The revision process included 10 months, five rounds of community consultations and input from nearly 300 contributors. - The Action Document organizes potential initiatives into six categories: Equity, Social Justice & Food Security; Health & Wellbeing; Local Agri-Food Sector; Environmental Stewardship; Knowledge & Sharing; and Community & Culture. - Aurora has previously endorsed the Charter and has already implemented initiatives such as miniature food pantries at municipal locations and community gardens, including a recent garden at John Abel Park. - Examples of suggested actions include advocacy tools for policy development, dignified food access measures (like fresh food vouchers and low-cost markets), increased access to land for new and equity-deserving growers, and lending libraries for kitchen and garden equipment. Summary: The revised Charter sets out a range of initiatives across multiple themes that could inform municipal programs and partnerships. Aurora staff say potential actions identified in the Action Document would be advanced through collaboration and brought forward during budget deliberations. The presentation to council is the next scheduled step.