Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable
championing a vibrant and healthy food system in Waterloo Region
NEWS RELEASE
New Group to Champion Healthy Food System
November 22, 2007
Waterloo, ON – A new networking and policy-making group will begin working on building a
strong voice for a healthy food system in Waterloo Region at its official public launch next
Wednesday.
“Someone needs to be asking the big questions about how our food system works,” says
Steffanie Scott, Co-Chair of the new Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable. “This new
group intends to ask those questions, and strategize about what actions are needed to bring about
a healthy food system – one in which everyone has access to healthy food and there is a thriving
market for locally-produced food.”
The launch event will be held at Conestoga College’s Waterloo Campus from 3-6pm on
November 28th. It is open to the public, but reservations are required. Speakers representing
initiatives working for a healthier food system in Waterloo Region will address issues such as
food insecurity, urban access to local food, and inadequate farm incomes.
The Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable will bring together eighteen representatives from
key sectors and interests of the local food system in an effort to build stronger networks among
those who share the goal of a healthier food system. The representatives include local farmers;
emergency food providers; food processing, distributing, and retail businesspeople; health
professionals; and more.
The new group is the result of several months of planning by eight people following a public
consultation process initiated by Region of Waterloo Public Health in late 2005. After releasing
a discussion paper entitled Towards a Healthy Community Food System in Waterloo Region in
October 2005, Public Health asked the public for input on the proposed strategies in the report.
About eighty people participated in the consultations and endorsed a number of actions as
priorities, one of which was to establish a multi-sectoral body to continue to look at food issues
and identify areas that need attention. The Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable will be
that body.
To RSVP for the event, please contact Michael Brown at 519-883-2004 x.5462, or
brmichael@region.waterloo.on.ca.
An event agenda and list of Roundtable members is attached. For further information or to set
up pre-event interviews, please contact:
Marc Xuereb, Public Health staff support to Roundtable and Roundtable member
tel. 519-883-2004 x.5872, xmarc@region.waterloo.on.ca
Steffanie Scott, Roundtable Co-Chair
tel. 519-888-4567 x.37012, sdscott@fes.uwaterloo.ca
-30-
Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable
championing a vibrant and healthy food system in Waterloo Region
Meet the newly-appointed members of this emerging champion for a vibrant
and healthy local food system in Waterloo Region
Wednesday,
November 28, 3:00-6:00 p.m.
Conestoga College
Waterloo Campus
108 University Avenue East; Waterloo
Conestoga Room (1A20)
RSVP by contacting Michael Brown,
brmichael@region.waterloo.on.ca
519-883-2004 ext. 5462
Hors d'oeuvres
Non-alcoholic drinks
Welcome:
John Tibbits, President, Conestoga College
Ken Seiling, Chair, Region of Waterloo
Remarks:
Steffanie Scott & Ellen Desjardins, Roundtable Co-Chairs
Panel:
Tony Bender of House of Friendship, representing Waterloo Region Shares (a network of emergency food
providers in Waterloo Region), on the 10% of Waterloo Region's population who cannot afford adequate
nutritious food
Candace Wormsbecker of the Waterloo Region Community Garden Council, on the importance of urban
agriculture
Mary McKeigan of Opportunities Waterloo Region, on the initiative to establish five new neighbourhood
produce stands in Waterloo Region in 2007/2008
Peter Katona of Foodlink Waterloo Region, on Foodlink's many initiatives aimed at improving the link
between local farmers and consumers
Networking
Sampling of Local Foods prepared by Conestoga College Hospitality and Culinary Arts students
Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable
championing a vibrant and healthy food system in Waterloo Region
Roundtable Members
Name
Affiliated Organization
1. Ellen Desjardins
WLU Geography
Department
Flanagan Food Service
Food Distributors
Conestoga College
Restaurants, Institutional purchasers
Hospitality Program
FoodLink Waterloo Region Food Marketing organizations
2. Dan Flanagan
3. Gary Hallam
4. Katharina Von Hugo/ Peter
Katona
5. Mark Reusser
Sector/Interest Representing on
Roundtable
Health professionals
Waterloo Federation of
Agriculture
Cambridge Self-Help Food
Bank
Canadian Organic Growers
Region of Waterloo Public
Health
Farmers
9. Gerald Kara
10. Jodi Koberinski
Kara’s Smart Foods
Echo Oils
11. Steffanie Scott
UW Geography
Department
Global Delights
Region of Waterloo
Community Planning
Oakridge Acres
Pfennings Organic
Vegetables
Mill-Courtland
Community Centre
Charcoal Group
UW Food Services
Food Retailers
Food Manufacturers, Food Retailers,
Organic Food Advocates
Academics, Urban Agriculture
6. Pat Singleton
7. Martha Gay Scroggins
8. Marc Xuereb
12. Ron Laurie
13. John Lubczynski
14. Mark or Cindy Gerber
15. Wolfgang Pfenning
16. Laura Callum
17. Jody Palubiski
18. Lee Elkas
Low Income consumers, Emergency
Food providers
Organic food advocates
Public Health staff
Food Distributors
Land Use Planners
Farmers, Retailers
Farmers, Retailers
Neighbourhood-based food programs
Restaurants
Institutional Purchasers
Commencing November 2007, members #1-8 will serve for one-year terms, and members #9-18
will sit for two-year terms.