Access to healthy, affordable, and culturally-relevant food is a core component of well-being. Neighbourhoods should support all parts of a thriving food system, including grocery stores, farmers’ markets, gardens, restaurants, farms, and food manufacturing.

We are in an era of uncertainty in global trade relationships and price shocks due to wars and associated fuel shortages. Building a resilient local food system is more important than ever. We must protect farmland, improve farmers' ability to make a living through value-added activities like on-site processing, and encourage innovation in greenhouse and hydroponic agriculture to meet our needs year-round.

Community gardens are one of the most popular neighbourhood interventions that have seen massive interest throughout Kitchener over the last years. Gardens are not only about growing food: they are also sites of community building, intergenerational learning, third spaces, and pollinator habitats. Community gardens are especially important for neighbours without a private yard. There is incredible demand for garden space, as proven by long waitlists.

Sam's priorities for food security

• Create a new category of community gardens hosted in residents’ private yards. Match neighbours who need support with yard maintenance with willing gardeners. By establishing transparent processes, expectations, and toolkits for hosts and gardeners, we can strengthen relationships, ease waitlists for community gardens, and increase food security in our neighbourhoods. 

• Update zoning rules to allow food stores in every neighbourhood. Small-scale, independent corner stores meet essential needs, especially in areas that are food deserts.

• Integrate edible, native plants into all new green space projects, encouraging foraging as part of our green infrastructure. This builds on existing practices developed through consultation with Indigenous communities as part of our creek restoration efforts, which have resulted in the planting of sumac and Saskatoon berries along newly-restored waterways. 

• Facilitate access to commercial kitchens to tackle the growing needs of food based businesses, especially for newcomers who are more likely to be entrepreneurs in the food service and catering sector. Work to align business license requirements between Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge, including consistent regulations for home-based food businesses. We live in a region that is integrated economically, and our licensing and regulations should reflect that.

• Explore the creation of a new Kitchener Market location in the south end of the city, to extend the Market’s ability to improve food security, increase culturally-relevant options, and support local food producers. This could begin as an outdoor summer market, transitioning to a permanent indoor market long-term as our population grows.

• Protect the few agricultural lands within Kitchener’s boundaries, by holding the Countryside Line and preventing greenfield development on farmland and water recharge areas.
  

• Ensure the Grand River remains a viable ecosystem to support fishing for food. Alongside related activities such as picnicking, hiking, and water activities, the Grand River should remain a significant source of wild food. Continue working with our municipal partners, First Nations, the Conservation Authority, and other levels of government to ensure good water levels and ecosystem health.