St. John’s Food Policy Council
Food First NL worked with the City of St. John’s to co-chair the St. John’s Food Policy Council. The St. John’s Food Policy Council took a food system approach to policy and planning. By bringing together different players, the Council worked toward a vision of “a local food system where people and place flourish.”
St. John’s Food Policy Council consisted of 15 members, representing a variety of backgrounds, sectors, and communities.
About the St. John’s Food Policy Council
The main functions of the St. John’s Food Policy Council were to discuss food issues, coordinate links between sectors, evaluate and influence policy, and support actions that addressed local needs and strengthened the local food system.
How the St. John’s Food Policy Council Got Started
In 2013, City Council supported a recommendation from the Environmental Advisory Committee to start a food policy council. This included the support of a Councillor and staff person. The food policy council would bring together citizens, community organizations, industry, and government to discuss issues of local relevance. The food policy council would also provide ideas and recommendations for new/improved policies, programs, and civic-society interventions to strengthen the regional food system and improve food security.
Building on a stakeholder meeting of 29 people across the food system, a Working Group was established to guide recruitment and development of the food policy council. This group reviewed best practices in food policy organizations in other municipalities, created the membership application form, and reviewed applications for membership.
The founding membership of the St. John’s Food Policy Council included government, community members, and industry representatives across the food system.