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Plain Text Version of the Food Charter

For All Residents of Curve Lake & Hiawatha First Nations and the County & City of Peterborough

Peterborough has a rich agricultural history and food production continues to be important to our community.  There are many cross-sectoral collaborations and partnerships supporting social justice, food literacy and the local food system.  Sustainable Peterborough identifies the goal of feeding ourselves sustainably with local healthy foods.  Despite these community food security assets, 16.5% of local households report being food insecure.  Locally, research shows that 1 in 4 households with children (18 years of age and younger) experience food insecurity. Food insecurity is inadequate or insecure access to food due to financial constraints and is a serious public health problem.

A food charter is a value, vision or principle statement and/or series of goals developed by a city, town or region that has a broad base of support and describes what a community wants their food system to look like. Food charters help to raise awareness and education about food issues that can form a basis for action. 

This Food Charter is a guiding document to encourage the development of policies and support for programs that promote a healthy and just food system for all residents of Curve Lake & Hiawatha First Nations, and the County & City of Peterborough.  The Charter acknowledges the right to food and is a commitment to work together to build a vibrant, sustainable, food secure community with healthy and local food for all.

This Food Charter was developed based on extensive consultation over a number of years by many partners and reflects the diverse voices of our community.

BECAUSE WE VALUE A LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM

WE SUPPORT

  • Local farmers and their commitment to sustainable stewardship of food producing lands.
  • Policies, programs and infrastructure to ensure that locally grown food is available in the future.
  • Land use policies that protect food producing lands. 
  • Policies to increase procurement of locally grown food where people live, learn, work, and play.
  • Increased understanding of the challenges involved in producing food locally.
  • Opportunities that connect people to the land and farmers to the people. 
  • access to wild foods obtained by fishing, hunting and gathering.

BECAUSE WE VALUE HEALTH 

WE SUPPORT

  • Strategies that ensure all residents, at all times, have physical and economic access to nutritious, safe, personally and culturally appropriate foods. 
  • Public policy that recognizes food’s contribution to physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional well-being.
  • Communities and neighbourhoods that encourage and build adequate transportation links to make healthy food accessible to all, including pedestrians and cyclists.
  • Baby Friendly™* policies that protect, promote, and support breastfeeding and the importance of breastmilk as a first food.
  • Nutrition education and healthy food choices where our residents live, learn, work and play.

BECAUSE WE VALUE SOCIAL JUSTICE

WE SUPPORT

  • Dignified access to healthy and local food for all. 
  • A living wage for the production of food, and a safe and respectful environment for all farmers and people who work to feed others.
  • Increased access to land for people interested in growing and facilities for processing food.
  • Income, education, employment, housing, and transportation policies and practices that support access to healthy, sustainable food.

BECAUSE WE VALUE CULTURE & COMMUNITY

WE SUPPORT

  • The strengthening of links between the farm and table.
  • Celebration and promotion of culturally and spiritually significant foods and traditions to connect communities and strengthen collaborations.
  • Opportunities for all community members to grow, prepare, and eat together. 

BECAUSE WE VALUE EDUCATION

WE SUPPORT

  • Public awareness of the role of food systems in our lives.
  • Promoting the connections between our health, the environment, and our food choices.
  • Programs for current and future farmers, home gardeners, food producers, and others involved in the food system.
  • Initiatives and programs that develop food literacy* for everyone. 

BECAUSE WE VALUE ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY

WE SUPPORT

  • Increased production, storage, processing, distribution, consumption and marketing of local, healthy food. 
  • Promotion of our region as an agricultural and culinary destination.
  • Food and agricultural research that is innovative, sustainable, and includes alternative food systems.
  • Economic and physical services and infrastructure that support local food producing lands and the development of local food related programs and businesses.
  • The protection of land for sustainable food production. 

BECAUSE WE VALUE ENVIRONMENT

WE SUPPORT

  • Farming practices and food production that promotes environmental stewardship.
  • Minimizing negative environmental impacts of the food system. 
  • Practices that improve soil, water and air quality for sustainable food production.

WHAT FOOD SECURITY MEANS TO US

  • A community enjoys food security when:
  • All people, at all times, have physical & economic access to nutritious, safe, personally and culturally appropriate foods,
  • Food is produced in ways that are environmentally sound, socially just, and promote community self reliance, and
  • Food is provided in a manner that promotes human dignity.
  • Peterborough Food Action Network

For more information or ways to take action, visit foodinpeterborough.ca/foodcharter