February Meeting: Urban farming focus

February 6th, 2020 VFPC Meeting
6pm – 8:30pm
City Hall – 3rd floor Cascadia Room (note – different than our usual location)
Everyone is welcome!

Our Feb.6th 2020 meeting will have a special focus on Vancouver’s Urban Farm Guidelines and related policies. See below for detail on this item and check back for the full agenda soon.

Social Policy Update: Vancouver Urban Farm Guidelines Review
In 2016, the City of Vancouver adopted Urban Farm Guidelines to legitimize urban farming as a permitted land use activity and licensable business type in residential, industrial, commercial, historic area, and some CD-1 zones. Council directed staff to collaborate with stakeholders on reviewing the policy after a pilot period and to report back to Council on its effectiveness. Farmers have identified that the regulations pose many challenges to their operations. Caitlin Dorward, Social Planner and staff liaison to the VFPC, will provide an interim update on this review currently underway, including a summary of feedback heard thus far, issues under consideration, other engagement opportunities and an overview of the Council reporting process. There will be an opportunity for questions and discussion of the VFPC’s next steps on this important policy issue.

Eat Think Vote 2019

Eat Think Vote is a non-partisan campaign run in federal election years by Food Secure Canada to make food an election issue. It provides an opportunity for constituents to hear directly from candidates and ask tough questions about how their platforms address community issues related to (but not limited to) food security, food justice, healthy food, and more.

The VFPC encourages you to attend one of the three Eat Think Vote events coming up in Metro Vancouver:

Announcement of the VFPC’s New Term

New members of the Vancouver Food Policy Council have been appointed by City Council for the 2019-2020 term! We are very excited to get working on food policy again.

The group is focusing on orientation through June and July, and will hold their first public meeting in August.

September VFPC Meeting – at Woodwards Building

Please note – Due to the by-election taking place this month, the VFPC’s September 13th, 2017 meeting will be held at Woodwards Building, 111 Hasting Street, 5th Floor, immediately outside of the elevators.

Meeting Agenda
September 13, 2017, 6:00- 8:30 pm
Location: Woodwards Building, 111 Hasting Street, 5th Floor
Chairs: Caitlin Dorward, David Speight (acting)
Regrets: Stefan Misse, Stephanie Lim

1 Homelands acknowledgement and introductions 10 min 6:00-10
We acknowledge that we are meeting on the unceded homelands of the ʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations and we give thanks for their generosity and hospitality.
2 Approve minutes from June and July meetings 5 min 6:10-15
3 Liaison Updates 15 min 6:15-30
4 Working Group Updates 10 min 6:30-40
5 Wild Salmon Caravan Vancouver Feast Working Group  Update 30 min 6:40-7:10
 
  • Update on progress
  • Requests for equipment, food donations, and support
  Break 10 min 7:10-20
6 Food Strategy Action Plan 2010-2020: Update from James O’Neill and Sarah Carten 40 min 7:20-8:00
  • Presentation on changes to the Action Plan  (10 mins)
    -New Focus Areas (Reconciliation, Food Access, Resilience)
    – Discussion (30 mins)
  • Can the VFPC support the Action Plan moving forward to City Council?
  • In what ways can the FPC assist in implementing the actions?
7 VFPC Submission to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada on the National Food Policy 20 mins 8:00-20
 
  • Does the VFPC support the submission of the letter?
8 Bread Basket 10 min 8:20-30
9 Motion to adjourn
And invitation to post-meeting social gathering
  8:30

January 18th meeting and Global Pulse Day

Happy New Year! We invite all members of the public to join us at the first meeting of 2017, taking place on January 18th.

The agenda includes updates from all of our working groups on their achievements from the past term and plan for transitioning to next term. We also plan to celebrate Global Pulse Day with a potluck of pulse-based foods prepared by our council members. If you feel so inspired, bring a dish to share!

Wednesday, January 18th, 6-8:30pm,
Town Hall Room, Vancouver City Hall
All Welcome

Full Agenda Here: VFPCMtg_2017.01.18_Draftagendashort

See you next year!

The VFPC does not meet as a full council in December (though some of our working groups are still keeping busy over the holidays!).

Our next meeting is on January 18th, 2017. See you in the New Year!

City of Vancouver accepting applications for 2017-18 VFPC term

The current term of the VFPC ends on February 28th, 2017 and the City of Vancouver is currently accepting applications for the 2017-18 VFPC term. If you are interested in joining the VFPC for next term, now is the time to apply!

FAQs about VFPC membership and the application process:

Q: Who is eligible to apply?
A:  All the eligibility criteria is available on this City of Vancouver website.

Q: How can I prepare a stronger application?
A: We encourage you to look around our website for more information about the council and the work we do. Past meeting minutes will give you a sense of the issues we work on and the way we work. Also familiarize yourself with the City of Vancouver information about the VFPC and about civic agencies in general.

Please keep in mind that (as our name suggests) the focus of our organization is on advancing and supporting municipal policy, so our work is distinct from that of the many community organizations delivering food systems programming across Vancouver. The VFPC is the place for you if you have an interest in municipal policy as it relates to our food system in Vancouver.

If you want to chat with a current VFPC member to get more information, please email us at info@vancouverfoodpolicycouncil.ca so that we can connect you with someone.

Q: What time commitment is expected of members? 
A: Our goal is to have an active council where members contribute at meetings, online, and in working groups. The minimum expectation is that members prepare for and attend monthly meetings (10/year) (please check your availability for 2017 meeting dates, posted here), but all members are also encouraged to join at least one of our Working Groups. Working Groups typically meet about once/month outside of full council meetings. You can find out about current Working Groups here (note that we are open to the formation of new groups based on future emerging priorities of the City and/or the interests of VFPC members).

Overall, the time commitment involved in being an active VFPC member varies for person to person and month to month. But as an example, in a typical month one might spend 1 hour preparing for the full council meeting, 2.5 hours at the full council meeting, 1-2 hours in Working Group meeting(s), 3-6 hours on Working Group and full council email/computer work, and 1-2 hours working on ad-hoc or time sensitive issues, for a total minimum of 8.5 – 13.5 hours per month. Of course if you are able to contribute more, that is always welcome but we recognize that this is a volunteer position that has to be balanced with other commitments.

Q: What are the benefits of VFPC membership? 
A: In addition to having the opportunity to contribute to positive food systems change and food policy in Vancouver, VFPC members benefit from the opportunity to network with, learn from, and befriend other food system movers and shakers.

Q: How are VFPC members selected?
A: Committee members are selected through the City of Vancouver’s Civic Committee public selection process. Current VFPC members are not involved in the selections process.

Q: When does the 2017-18 term begin?
A: March 1st, 2017.

Q: What is the application deadline?
A: Friday, October 28, 2016 at 5pm.

Q: Where do I apply?
A: On this City of Vancouver website

 

October 12th VFPC Meeting

Join us this Wednesday for our regular VFPC meeting.  At this meeting we are acknowledging World Food Day (October 16th) and the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (October 17th). In keeping with this theme, we are pleased to welcome guest presenter Gerry Kasten (Public Health & Home Care Dietitian,Vancouver Coastal Health) on the findings of the Food Costing in BC 2015 report. Breakout discussion groups to follow.

Wednesday, October 12th, 6-8:30pm,
Town Hall Room, Vancouver City Hall
All Welcome

Full agenda here

September 14th VFPC meeting

Join us this Wednesday for our regular VFPC meeting. Following our August meeting hiatus, we will be catching up on working group activities over the summer as well as discussing GE foods and the connection between food insecurity and poverty.

After the meeting, everyone is welcome to join VFPC members for a social hour at Rouge Kitchen and Wetbar (602 W Broadway)!

Wednesday, September 13th, 6-8:30pm,
Town Hall Room, Vancouver City Hall
All Welcome

Full Agenda Here: VFPCMtg_2016.09.14_Draftagendashort