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Written by Marc Xuereb
The Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable has been busy studying hundred-page Official Plans of the Cities of Cambridge, Kitchener, and Waterloo over the past month, and last night submitted the last of its three letters to City Councils encouraging food to be a bigger part of the cities’ Official Plans.
Here’s what The Record had to say about Roundtable representative Krista Long’s presentation to Cambridge Council:
Backyard farming needed in Cambridge official plan, council told
The Record, October 18, 2011
http://www.therecord.com/news/local/article/610966–backyard-farming-needed-in-cambridge-official-plan-council-told
CAMBRIDGE — Encourage community agriculture everywhere as part of the city’s new official plan, a local food proponent said Monday.
As well, temporary farmers’ markets should be encouraged — not banned — from residential areas, said Krista Long, of the Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable.
“We must reduce barriers to entrepreneurs who want to produce and sell food,” she said.
In general, she praised the draft update of the 1999 document that directs where, when and how the city will grow and change over the next two decades. She said she just wanted to make sure it says the city encourages local, affordable food available near where people live, so they don’t have to drive to large grocery stores that don’t always support local farmers.
City council held a public meeting Monday to hear comments about the new official plan, which has been in the works for three years. Public comments are invited until Friday. Council expects to vote on a final draft in December….
The full text of the letter submitted by the Roundtable to Cambridge Council can be viewed here:
Roundtable response to draft Cambridge Official Plan, October 2011
Roundtable member Ron Laurie sent the following letter to the City of Kitchener in September and will make a presentation at their public meeting when they schedule it:
Roundtable response to draft Kitchener Official Plan, September 2011
Roundtable Co-Chair Ellen Desjardins presented the following letter to the City of Waterloo on September 19:
Roundtable response to draft Waterloo Official Plan, September 2011