Food Secure Canada

Food Secure Canada
Name	Food Secure Canada
Founded	2001
Type	Non-profit coalition
Location	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Focus	Food security, food sovereignty, food policy

Food Secure Canada is a Canadian alliance of organizations, networks, academics, and grassroots groups working on food security, food sovereignty, and sustainable food systems. The coalition brings together stakeholders from Indigenous communities, urban agriculture projects, labour unions, public health networks, environmental organizations, and farming associations to influence national policy, research, and community practice. It operates through campaigns, publications, and partnerships with provincial networks, municipal initiatives, university research centres, and international advocacy forums.

History

The coalition emerged in the early 2000s amid public debates involving the World Trade Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and national debates after events such as the 1992 Earth Summit and the 1996 negotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement that affected Canadian agricultural policy. Founding participants included members of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, the National Farmers Union, the Poverty and Human Rights Centre (Canada), and urban groups like Toronto Food Policy Council. Early campaigns intersected with actions by the National Farmers Union (UK)'s allies, solidarity visits connected to the International Forum on Globalization, and collaborations with university research units such as the University of Guelph's food studies programs and the McGill University Department of Nutrition. Over time the coalition engaged with the United Nations Committee on World Food Security, provincial legislatures in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia, and municipal councils including City of Toronto and City of Vancouver. Key moments included national food security weeks, contributions to the federal Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, and participation in global events like the World Social Forum.

Mission and Objectives

The coalition's stated objectives align with movements represented by groups such as the Canadian Union of Public Employees, the Assembly of First Nations, and the Canadian Public Health Association. Its mission emphasizes food sovereignty framed alongside commitments present in international instruments like the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and policy debates around the Canada Health Act and the Income Security Programmes in provincial jurisdictions. The organization aims to coordinate civil society efforts similar to networks like La Via Campesina, to advance food policy frameworks comparable to proposals from the World Health Organization and to influence parliamentary review processes in the House of Commons of Canada.

Programs and Initiatives

Programs have included community food security projects modelled after initiatives run by groups such as the Calgary Food Bank, the Toronto District School Board's food programs, and the Vancouver Food Policy Council. Initiatives often partner with academic centres including the University of British Columbia's Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability and the Université de Montréal's research units. Campaigns have addressed issues raised by organizations like the Canadian Medical Association, the Canadian Diabetes Association, and the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Projects on farm viability involved collaboration with provincial bodies such as Alberta Agriculture and Forestry and with producer organizations like the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario and the Prince Edward Island Federation of Agriculture.

Advocacy and Policy Work

Advocacy work engages with legislative processes in forums such as the Senate of Canada and the Parliamentary Budget Officer briefings, and with policy networks including the Broadbent Institute and the Fraser Institute in comparative dialogues. The coalition has submitted briefs to commissions and committees like the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology and the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance. It has coordinated with labour partners including the Canadian Labour Congress and farmer alliances such as the National Farmers Union (Canada), and allied with health actors including the Public Health Agency of Canada in calls for national food policy instruments comparable to programs in countries represented by the European Union and the United Kingdom.

Research and Publications

The coalition produces reports, policy briefs, and toolkits collaborating with university centres such as the Canadian Plains Research Center, the School of Public Policy (University of Calgary), and the School of Public Health (University of Alberta). Publications have cited statistics from agencies like Statistics Canada and engaged with methodological debates featured in journals such as the Canadian Journal of Public Health and the Canadian Food Studies / La Revue canadienne des études sur l’alimentation. Research partners have included the Metcalf Foundation, the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, and think tanks like the C.D. Howe Institute for comparative analyses.

Governance and Funding

The coalition is governed by a board composed of representatives from member organizations including Indigenous networks like the Native Women’s Association of Canada, food growers such as the Federation of Canadian Municipalities's food task groups, and advocacy NGOs like Oxfam Canada and Food Banks Canada. Funding sources historically included grants from foundations such as the Ontario Trillium Foundation, project contributions from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and partnerships with community foundations including the Vancouver Foundation and the Calgary Foundation. Administrative relationships have involved collaborations with legal and fiscal sponsors like the Toronto Foundation.

Impact and Criticism

Supporters point to contributions to the development of municipal food policies in places like City of Winnipeg and City of Hamilton (Ontario), influence on federal consultations overseen by the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food (Canada), and mobilization of networks akin to those seen in campaigns by La Via Campesina. Critics, including some market-oriented commentators from organizations such as the Fraser Institute and private sector stakeholders represented by Canadian Federation of Independent Business, argue that coalition proposals can conflict with trade commitments like those under the WTO and raise concerns similar to debates in the Agricultural Policy Framework era. Debates continue with academic critics publishing in outlets such as the Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics and debates in provincial legislatures in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Category:Food policy organizations