February 1, 1999

To:Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee

From:Councillor Jack Layton, Chair, Environmental Task Force

Subject:Toronto Food Policy Council - Food and Agricultural Quick Starts

The Environmental Task Force at its meeting of January 28, 1999, had before it the attached report dated January 5, 1999, from Mr. Rod MacRae, Food Policy Coordinator, Toronto Food Policy Council, forwarding to the Environmental Task Force some quick start ideas on food and agricultural.

The Environmental Task Force adopted the following recommendations and transmits the same for consideration:

It is recommended that:

(1)the Chief Administrative Officer and the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services, as co-chairs of the Toronto Inter-departmental Environmental (TIE) Team, be requested to coordinate responses to the actions listed below and described in this report:

(i)Council endorse the practice of increasing the purchase of Canadian organic food by the City; and that Council direct the appropriate City officials responsible for food service contracts to ensure that the purchase of Canadian organic food increases over the term of food service contracts between the City and food service providers;

(ii)the Board of Directors of the Toronto Housing Company prepare a report that investigates the opportunities to establish rooftop and on-site community gardens on residential buildings owned by the Toronto Housing Company, with estimates of costs and possible sources of funding;

(iii)the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism prepare an action plan to increase the area of the City devoted to community gardening and the number of participants in community gardens be developed;

(iv)the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services prepare a report examining the feasibility of using steam generated from burning methane gas at the Beare Road and Keele Valley Landfill sites to heat greenhouse operations that would be run by non-profit or for profit operators under an agreement with the City; and

(v)the Human Resources Director investigate the program run by Husky Molding Company, which provides organic food to employees at discounted prices, which has resulted in a reduction of absenteeism and lower medical and drug costs; and

(2)the noted recommendations and accompanying report also be forwarded to the Board of Health for their information.

Thank you for your consideration of this matter.

Councillor Jack Layton

Chair

Environmental Task Force

FB

Attachment

C:Chief Administrative Officer

Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services

Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism

Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services

Board of Directors, Toronto Housing Company

Commissioner of Corporate Services

Director of Human Resources

Medical Officer of Health

Mr. Rod MacRae, Food Policy Coordinator, Toronto Food Policy

Ms. Jane Weninger, Project Manager, Environmental Task Force

Mr. Franz Hartmann, Assistant to Councillor Layton

(File: g:\gb\env-task\general\jan28)

Memorandum

Date:January 5, 1999

To:Environmental Task Force

From:Toronto Food Policy Council

Subject:Food and Agriculture Quick Starts

Purpose:

To respond to the request of the Environmental Task Force regarding food/agriculture quick start ideas.

Sources of funds:

There are no immediate funding implications arising from the recommendations of this communication.

Recommendations:

1.That the Environmental Task Force give consideration to how the following quick starts might be implemented by the City of Toronto:

(a)That as a Green Procurement Policy for the City of Toronto is developed, a system be implemented to gradually increase the purchase of Canadian organic food over the term of food service contracts between the Corporation and food service providers.

(b)That a report be prepared, perhaps by the Board of Directors of the Toronto Housing Company, on opportunities to establish rooftop gardens on residential buildings owned by the Toronto Housing Company, with estimates of costs and possible sources of funding.

(c)That an action plan to increase the area of the City devoted to community gardening and the number of participants in community gardens be developed.

(d)That a report be prepared on the feasibility of using steam generated from burning methane at the Beare Rd and Keele Valley landfill sites to heat greenhouse operations that would be run by non-profit or for profit operators under an agreement with the City.

2.That the Environmental Task Force forward this report to the Board of Health for their information.

Discussion:

The Toronto Food Policy Council (FPC) is pleased to be working with the Environmental Task Force. At its meeting of November 4, 1998, the FPC considered the goals, strategy and action priorities from the ETF Visioning Workshop held on September 29, 1998. The FPC supports the goals and directions set out by the Food/Agriculture Table and has distilled from them the following "quick starts" for the consideration of the ETF. The FPC is also ready to give consideration to many of the longer term proposals arising from the Food/Agriculture Table and will gladly report to the ETF on these throughout 1999.

Increasing the purchase of Canadian organic food (1(a))

That as a component of a Green Procurement Policy for the City of Toronto, a system be implemented to gradually increase the purchase of Canadian organic food over the term of food service contracts between the Corporation and food service providers.

Rationale:

Institutional procurement policies have been used frequently to help a market for environmental products develop. The Commissioner of Finance is preparing a Green Procurement Policy for the City of Toronto. Organic foods are currently the most identifiable food products in the market with clear environmental benefits. They are also believed by many to be more healthful.

There should not be additional costs to the corporation associated with implementing this recommendation since any new costs associated with organic food purchase would be passed on to customers.

Establishing rooftop gardens on residential buildings (1(b))

That a report be prepared, perhaps by the Board of Directors of the Toronto Housing Company, on opportunities to establish rooftop gardens on residential buildings owned by the Toronto Housing Company, with estimates of costs and possible sources of funding.

Rationale:

Rooftops are underutilized areas that can have significant environmental benefits. They reduce rainwater runoff, lower urban temperatures, displace air conditioning, lessen glare, cut noise, slow winds, create habitat for avian wildlife, and create growing space for food and horticultural recreation.

Toronto Facilities and Real Estate is already working to establish a rooftop garden on third floor podium/terrace at Toronto City Hall. Other cities have effected significant environmental improvements by taking advantage of rooves as growing spaces. In Mannheim and Stuttgart, space equivalent to the building footprint on-grade must be transferred to green space on the roof or terraces of all new buildings. Some analysis is required to assess the potential use rooftops in Toronto.

Increasing community gardens (1(c))

That an action plan to increase the area of the City devoted to community gardening and the number of participants in community gardens be developed.

Rationale:

Community gardening is a major international movement that provides major health and environmental benefits, including exercise, beautification, provision of fresh local food and use of food and yard waste as compost. In Berlin, there are 80,000 allotment plots. There are 1 million community gardeners in the USA. Montreal has over 100 gardens hosting 15,000 participants. Toronto's community gardens have expanded rapidly in the past 5 years, but still only serve an estimated 4500 people. Demand for community garden spaces greatly outstrips the supply of plots and gardens.

An interdepartmental committee has just started meeting to examine how services can be integrated in the new City. This committee, under the leadership of the Parks and Recreation Division, could develop a plan for expanding sites and participants.

There are no current cost implications for implementing this recommendation.

Increasing greenhouse co-generation opportunities (1(d))

That a report be prepared on the feasibility of using steam generated from burning methane at the Beare Rd and Keele Valley landfill sites to heat greenhouse operations that would be run by non-profit or for profit operators under an agreement with the City.

Rationale:

Methane emissions from landfill sites are a major contributor to greenhouse gas accumulation in the atmosphere. Toronto is now selling methane collected from landfill to electricity generating firms. However, there is still much heat wasted in this process that could be used to generate steam for greenhouse operations. These operations could sell produce into the local markets, likely substituting for the importation of vegetables from the USA and Mexico. Since food transportation is a major cause of carbon dioxide emissions, reducing food miles provides a double greenhouse gas reduction benefit.

As with electricity generation, the City's role would be to facilitate a partnership. A project like this is currently being developed by Toronto Hydro in the Portlands.

For further information:

Rod MacRae,

Food Policy Coordinator 392-1107