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World Crops at the Top, June 15th

Photo Opportunity: The Rooftop Garden at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel Welcomes New Crops


From bee hives to basil, Chef David Garcelon of the Fairmont Royal York Hotel is seen as an innovator on the Toronto food scene for his rooftop garden. Now Chef Garcelon will be adding to his rooftop oasis by planting crops from around the world. As a host hotel for the upcoming Indian International Film Awards (IIFA), Garcelon’s garden is set to focus on South Asian produce such as okra, red hot peppers, and small round eggplant --- vegetables favoured in South Asian cuisine. The crops provided by Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, will provide an opportunity for guests at the EPIC restaurant at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel to sample ethnically diverse dishes with local ingredients. 
 
World crops are springing up on many farms, in fact, a dozen world crops are being tested in farm and research fields in Ontario’s Greenbelt by Vineland Research and Innovation centre in Niagara. This research will help farmers capitalize on the lucrative multi-million dollar market in ethnocultural vegetables in the Toronto area. Locally grown world crops will have a fresh competitive advantage to attract discerning buyers like Chef Garcelon.  



What: 
Find out about and taste the new world crops being planted in this year in Ontario’s Greenbelt.
Learn from Chef Garcelon how to incorporate ethnocultural vegetables into your meals.
Find out how to grow your own crops from Vineland researcher Ahmed Bilal

When: 
June 15, 2011, 1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. 
Photo – Op: Demonstration planting on the Royal York rooftop 1:30pm - 2:00pm

Where: 
Royal York Hotel, 19th Floor, Salon 4 
 


This project has been funded in part by a grant awarded by the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation.



About the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation 
Ontario’s Greenbelt is an example of a vibrant multi-use greenbelt that protects significant agricultural and environmentally sensitive lands from development.  Underpinned by one of the strongest legal frameworks and impressive political commitment, it provides diverse economic, environmental and social benefits to Ontarians. The Greenbelt is 1.8 million acres of potential to make Ontario a better place. The Greenbelt Foundation began in 2005 with a mandate to promote and sustain our Greenbelt as a permanent feature.
www.greenbelt.ca
 
About Vineland Research and Innovation Centre
Vineland Research and Innovation Centre is an independent, not-for-profit organization that was created to be a world-class centre for horticultural science and innovation. In its capacity to enable and foster relationships with industry, academia and government, Vineland works to deliver premium product and production innovations. Vineland brings a global perspective to the Canadian horticulture industry and offers a broad range of lasting benefits to stakeholders both locally and internationally. Aligned with industry needs, Vineland’s research priorities and outcomes are focused on the growth of the entire horticulture industry. Vineland is funded in part by Growing Forward, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.
www.vinelandresearch.com

 

For more information about the event contact: 
 
Carla Balabanowicz
Communications Coordinator
Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation
(416) 960-0001, ext. 306 
cbalabanowicz-at-greenbelt.ca 

For inquiries about the Vineland research
program contact:
 
Isabel Dopta
Director Communications
Vineland Research and Innovation Centre
P: 905.562.0320 X791

 

The Greenbelt Foundation is

  • Contributing to greater sales of Greenbelt wines at the LCBO

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

  • 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

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

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

  • Supporting interested Greenbelt Farmers to Go Organic

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

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

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

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

  • Successfully merging social welfare initiatives with environmental concerns

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

  • Supporting tourism initiatives including in the Niagara and Caledon areas

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

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

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

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

  • Supporting food policy council in Durham to create food charter

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

  • 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Developing a successful culinary tourism platform for Niagara

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

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

  • Convincing Peel school boards to buy Greenbelt food for students

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

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

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