Government of Canada wants to hear from Canadians in developing A Food Policy for Canada

Online survey asks Canadians what food issues matter to them

MONTREAL, June 2, 2017 /CNW/ - A Food Policy for Canada will be the first-of-its-kind for the Government of Canada, and represents an important step in tackling the opportunities and challenges of Canada's food system.

Parliamentary Secretary and Member of Parliament for La Prairie, Jean-Claude Poissant, on behalf of Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay, today encouraged all Canadians to take part in the development of A Food Policy for Canada. Parliamentary Secretary Poissant was accompanied by Nicola Di Iorio, Member of Parliament for Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel.

An online survey is now open at www.canada.ca/food-policy, where Canadians are being asked to submit their input which will be used to build a food policy that explores four themes:

• increasing access to affordable food;
• improving health and food safety;
• conserving our soil, water, and air; and
• growing more high-quality food.  

Understanding Canadians' priorities when it comes to food issues will help the federal government to develop the vision, principles, and objectives for a food policy and to identify actions to take in the near term.

The online consultation is the first of a number of consultation activities planned to engage with a wide range of Canadians. The Government of Canada will also be hosting A Food Policy for Canada Summit in Ottawa on June 22-23, 2017. The Summit is designed to provide a space for stakeholders, experts, and key policy makers to share their views on A Food Policy for Canada. 

Quote

"For a food policy to work it needs to reflect the priorities and opinions of Canadians. By bringing together a wide range of experiences and viewpoints we can build A Food Policy for Canada that will allow us to move in the same direction, with the same goals in mind, on the vital issues surrounding food."
-       Jean-Claude Poissant, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Quick Facts

• A food policy is a way to address issues related to the production, processing, distribution, and consumption of food.
• A Food Policy for Canada will cover all food sources, including primary agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture, and processing.
• In addition to the online consultations, the Government of Canada will be holding broad consultations through events taking place throughout the coming months.

Associated Links

• A Food Policy for Canada

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SOURCE Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Contacts: Guy Gallant, Director of Communications, Office of the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, 613-773-1059; Media Relations, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, 613-773-7972, 1-866-345-7972