gb_hor_09.jpg
 

George Morris Centre

Local Food Distribution Mechanisms in Niagara and Hamilton

Grants Made:

$67,000 - June 8, 2009

In search of a distribution system, the study incorporates a random phone survey to about 275 Hamilton and Niagara food producers and processors, to assess the need and demand for such a centre.

As a Canadian not-for-profit independent think tank, the George Morris Centre fosters excellence in the agri-products sector by provoking informed dialogue and providing industry decision makers with analyses of critical issues affecting this sector.

In order to thrive, vibrant local food systems and their small and medium producers require infrastructure facilities to store, process, pack, and ship their fare. In line with their mission to foster excellence in the agri-products sector, The George Morris Centre partners with the municipalities of Hamilton and Niagara and the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation to perform a feasibility study on establishing a local food distribution mechanism in these regions.

The Greenbelt Foundation is

  • Convincing Peel school boards to buy Greenbelt food for students

  • Funding the Holland Marsh Growers’ transition from an export, commodity focus to one that serves the local market with value- added products

  • Assisting in designing new policies to protect Lake Simcoe through timely research

  • Hosted the first ever Global Greenbelts Conference in Toronto in March 2011 with speakers and delegates from over nine countries

  • Supporting the Credit Valley Conservation Authority to protect and restore wetlands

  • Providing grants and support to significantly increase sales at farmers’ markets

  • Creating a network of Farmer’s Markets to help improve our local food economy

  • Supporting development of action plans for a variety of agricultural areas and commodities

  • Successfully merging social welfare initiatives with environmental concerns

  • Creating Greenbeltfresh.ca, the leading electronic marketplace to source local, Greenbelt foods from over 600 producers

  • Developing a successful culinary tourism platform for Niagara

  • Supporting the creation of an award-winning Greenbelt granola bar

  • Supporting the Ontario Greenbelt Alliance to foster strong Greenbelt Plan implementation at the municipal level

  • Participating strategically in growing the Greenbelt by working with Toronto, Peel, Halton, and Guelph

  • Increasing amount of Greenbelt food in food share program 140%

  • Bridging farming and hiking interests to acknowledge environmental progress by farmers

  • Enhancing Farmers’ Markets, increasing sales for farmers in the Greenbelt and beyond

  • Engaging with over 170 million Ontarians directly through our marketing, events and communications activities

  • Securing local food procurement commitments for Peel schools, City of Toronto, City of Markham and others

  • Supporting food policy council in Durham to create food charter

  • Contributing $2.65 million to Greenbelt farmers to improve their operations (leveraging millions of dollars from federal sources), and to employ the opportunities of the Green Energy Act

  • Funding visionary planning processes such as the new Cootes to Escarpment Park Management Plan, and a massive reforestation plan in Rouge Park

  • Supporting tourism initiatives including in the Niagara and Caledon areas

  • Funding policy changes to encourage more local food to be sold in Durham

  • Hosting the successful Tour de Greenbelt to promote Ontario’s Greenbelt as a tourism destination

  • Supporting interested Greenbelt Farmers to Go Organic

  • Securing local food procurement commitments for Peel, U of T. City of Toronto Facilities and Markham

  • Funding research and analysis on greenbelts around the globe which concluded that Ontario’s Greenbelt is the most robust in the world, with a strong legal and policy framework

  • Identifying barriers to opening markets for Greenbelt farmers and proposing solutions

  • Reaching over 75 million by placing 220 permanent highway and regional road signs to ensure Ontarians and visitors know about this valuable protected area

  • Partnering with Harbourfront Centre to tell the story of Ontario’s Greenbelt to 12 million people via a year-long, outdoor photography exhibit

  • Supporting changing the City of Toronto policy to adopt a local food purchasing bylaw for city facilities

  • Engaged Hamilton schools to switch to Greenbelt food for their students

  • Building a local food economy from developing new markets to enhancing distribution channels

  • Contributing to greater sales of Greenbelt wines at the LCBO

  • Supporting the development of multi-cultural crops and training new Canadian Farmers

  • Bringing thousands of Ontarians out into the Greenbelt each year through grantee activities and the Annual Tour de Greenbelt cycling event

  • Supporting the creation of new multi-cultural crops and development of ethnic local food guides in Toronto and York Region

 
Learn more about what the Greenbelt Foundation has done for you »

Advertorial sponsored by the Greenbelt Foundation

Toronto Star

Series Archive »

The Greenbelt Blog

Plotting Your Greenbelt Farmers' Market Tour

May marks the beginning of the farmers’ market season. Your weekly market starts up, familiar faces reappear, and your neighbourhood is reenergized after the long winter months. To make sure...

Read more from our Blog »

Greenbelt on Twitter

Dufferin Wellington Peel: total economic impact of Greenbelt ag, forestry, fishing rec & tourism = +$493M http://t.co/dMqj9cnI @TownofErin about 11 hours ago

Follow us on Twitter @greenbeltca »