Good afternoon; I’m excited to tell you about a new initiative to support local food producers and help make our region food secure.

On Monday night, Council will review a recommendation from the Healthy Saanich Advisory Committee to develop a Local Food Procurement Policy that will give preference to local food producers when ordering for Saanich events and food services.
 
The policy uses Saanich's buying power to expand the local food marketplace for local producers.

A local food procurement policy creates environmental, social, and economic benefits, including: 

1. Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from transportation because local food does not travel as far as imported foods;

2. Fresher and healthier food choices because local food is harvested when it is ripe rather than when it needs to be shipped;

3. Expanded local marketplace and local economy by supporting local food producers and keeping our dollars within the region;

4. Profitable, productive farms that protect agricultural land from development and ensure that farmland is available as a global food crisis emerges; and

5. Achievement of Saanich’s Official Community Plan objectives of supporting local food production and food security.

Saanich is the first community in the CRD to have such a policy (UVic has a similar policy for its food services; Toronto also has a buy local policy).

It is my hope that the program will be a model that other municipalities and local businesses will follow.

This is another initiative in a suite of policies and initiatives that Saanich will introduce to support local producers and ensure our municipality is food secure.

Do you support a “buy local” policy? Tell council what you think: council@saanich.ca


Sincerely,

Dean Murdock
Saanich Councillor, and Chair, Healthy Saanich Advisory Committee