Agriculture leaders and other stakeholders have an opportunity to provide input as CFIC develops the Canadian Food Strategy.
The Conference Board of Canada launched a major multi-year initiative in 2010, the Centre for Food in Canada (CFIC), to address one of the major issues facing Canada today. The goals of the CFIC are to raise public awareness of the nature and importance of the food sector to Canada’s economy and society; and to create a shared vision for the future of food in Canada. The Centre works closely with leaders and partners from Canada’s food industry, governments, educational institutions, and other organizations to achieve its goals.
“The CFIC has brought a group of investors, stakeholders, governments and industry associations together over the past three years to identify and address some of the important issues facing the food sector in Canada,” explains Erin Butler, Research Associate with the Conference Board of Canada. “About 20 different research projects have been initiated and publicly available research reports will be made available as they are completed. A Canadian Food Strategy has been developed at the same time with input from the key industry and government stakeholders, and consultations with a broad range of other organizations and individuals interested in food. We are combining other findings and conclusions to construct a grand vision that will connect all of the parts and players in the food system and try to stimulate change and draw out a plan of action moving forward.” 
The Canadian Food Strategy is based on five pillars:
- Industry Prosperity
- Healthy Food
- Food Safety
- Consumer Security
- Environmental Sustainability
For each of the Five Pillars, the Strategy includes:
- Goals – high-level and aspirational
- Desired Outcomes – important changes to performance
- Actions – workable solutions (including practices, policies, programs, tactics) to achieve the outcomes
- Leads – businesses, governments, education, communities, consumers and others who could take the lead on specific actions
- Metrics – clear targets and measures to track progress.
“We have developed a public online consultation to get feedback based on the research and the draft strategy developed so far,” explains Butler. “This first consultation survey is focusing on the goals and desired outcomes and we are asking for feedback from the public, industry and government to determine if we are on track and haven’t missed anything.” CFIC is expecting input from about 1000 people for the survey, which closes on January 31, 2013.
There are also opportunities to attend public consultations that are currently underway in major centres across the country, including: Halifax, Moncton, Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Guelph, Iqaluit, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Calgary and Vancouver. For more information on dates and opportunities to get involved, contact Dr. Jean-Charles Le Vallée, Senior Research Associate at the Conference Board’s Centre for Food in Canada, at email: [email protected].
“One we review the results from the online survey and public consultations, determine the right goals and desired outcomes, then we will move forward with developing the second part of the strategy draft,” says Butler. “This is really the actionability of the Strategy and determining what actions need to be taken and identifying who will be responsible for developing each action. We will also be developing metrics so we can develop clear targets for measuring and tracking the program. The Strategy will also outline the actions, roles, and responsibilities of Canada’s food businesses, governments, and not-for-profit organizations to implement the strategy.”
The goal is to have the Canadian Food Strategy final draft completed by November 2013. The findings from the first consultation will be presented at the CFIC conference to be held in Toronto in April 2013, which is open to the public. A second round of consultations is planned to follow the conference and will be open for input by anyone who is interested.
“We have been getting great feedback so far,” says Butler. “Food is something people really care about and many people believe a national food strategy is something that is needed in Canada. Many people are very concerned about what the future of food looks like in Canada. Once the Canadian Food Strategy is completed in November 2013, then key players can move forward with developing and implementing the strategy.”
Along with the strategy, reports from the other projects underway are starting to be released. A report on The Sky’s the Limit: The Viability of Canada’s Food Economy was released in December 2013, and another report on Food Innovation will be released in early 2013. Watch for other reports over the next several months. All of the reports are available free on the website to anyone who is interested. http://www.conferenceboard.ca
“There are many opportunities for Canada’s food system, and a shared national vision for food that can promote collaboration and common purpose will help us take advantage of them,” says Erin Butler. “A Canadian Food Strategy that will meet our country’s need for a coordinated long-term strategy for change is being developed.”
Contact:
Erin Butler
Ph: 613-526-3090 x 323
Email: [email protected]
http://www.conferenceboard.ca/cfic/foodstrategy.aspx