iC: imagineCalgary: Every single mention of the word "FOOD"
ImagineCalgary refers to FOOD over 130 times
I took a look @ food* in imagineCalgary & ...
*surprising how some aldermen still think food is strictly a provincial or federal matter... it is most obviously a hyper local issue.
FOOD
FOOD sources derive from sustainable practices that provide us with a high quality, healthy, affordable and
secure supply of FOOD.
FOOD
T1 By 2036, Calgarians support local FOOD production.
T2 By 2036, Calgary maintains access to reliable and quality FOOD sources.
T3 By 2036, 100 per cent of Calgary’s FOOD supply derives from sources that practice sustainable FOOD
production.
T4 By 2010, 100 per cent of Calgarians have access to nutritious FOODs.
Land and soil
T2 By 2036, sustainable urban FOOD production increases to five per cent.
T3 By 2036, the consumption of urban- and regionally produced FOOD by Calgarians increases to
30 per cent.
Health and wellness
T1 By 2036, all Calgarians live in a safe and clean natural environment, as measured by the quality of its
air, water, soil and FOOD sources, plus by the lack of exposure to toxic waste.
T2 By 2036, 95 per cent of Calgarians enjoy positive and supportive living conditions, as reflected by
adequate income; high rates of employment; adequate FOOD and appropriate nutrition; appropriate,
adequate and affordable housing; and high levels of personal safety.
FOOD
System Built environment and infrastructure
Goal FOOD sources derive from sustainable practices that provide us with a high quality,
healthy, affordable and secure supply of FOOD.
1 Target
By 2036, Calgarians support local FOOD production.
Strat egy 1
Provide opportunities for local FOOD producers to easily access the Calgary FOOD marketplace.
• Subsidize local FOOD producers.
• Set aside some of The City’s landholdings for FOOD production.
• Develop land use districts for local FOOD production.
• Consider microclimate options when citing FOOD growth areas.
• Require mainstream FOOD stores to carry a certain percentage of locally produced FOOD.
• Promote community-based gardens and local farmers’ markets in various communities
within Calgary.
• Increase accessibility so small producers can participate in farmers’ markets.
Strat egy 2
Encourage household and community gardens.
• Enable green roofs for FOOD production.
• Encourage local gardens to supplement FOOD production.
• Utilize spaces within The City’s park space inventory for local FOOD production.
Strat egy 3
Establish educational programs on the benefits of supporting local FOOD suppliers.
2 Target
By 2036, Calgary maintains access to reliable and quality FOOD sources.
Strat egy 1
Ensure FOOD sources are affordable and derived from secure and reliable suppliers.
3 Target
By 2036, 100 per cent of Calgary’s FOOD supply derives from sources that practice sustainable
FOOD production.
Strat egy 1
Promote sustainable FOOD production.
• Establish educational programs about sustainable FOOD production.
• Develop awareness programs about where our FOOD comes from and how far it has travelled.
• Indicate the distance that FOOD has travelled to get to your door.
• Discourage the use of chemicals in the production of FOOD.
Strat egy 2
Foster opportunities for farmers’ markets to locate within Calgary.
built environment & infrastructure system
1 8 i m a g i n e C A L G A R Y — S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 7
Copyright © 2006, The City of Calgary. All rights reserved.
FOOD
System Built environment and infrastructure
Goal FOOD sources derive from sustainable practices that provide us with a high quality,
healthy, affordable and secure supply of FOOD.
4 Target
By 2010, 100 per cent of Calgarians have access to nutritious FOODs.
Strat egy 1
Direct FOOD surpluses to those in need.
Strat egy 2
Establish educational programs about making healthy FOOD choices.
Strat egy 3
Use FOOD banks to provide nutritious FOODs to those in need.
Waste management
Assist in the development of markets that use waste as a resource.
• Support using the organic wastes currently in landfills to generate gas for energy.
• Create accessible composting facilities throughout city.
• Develop “energy from waste” programs as technologies become available and proven.
• Enable opportunities for waste generated from construction activities to be utilized by individuals
or other businesses.
•
• Promote opportunities for industries to utilize by-products (waste) from other industries
in their businesses (e.g. waste heat could be used to heat greenhouses that increase local
FOOD production).
By 2036, 85 per cent of waste materials are converted to other useful products.
Strat egy 1
Support the use of organic materials for composting.
• Develop a city-wide organic collection system.
• Support community composting to support local FOOD production.
• Promote backyard composting.
Sufficient income
System Economic
Goal All Calgarians have sufficient income and other resources to meet their current and
future needs and to provide for healthy lives.
Enable more people to participate in the economy in a sustainable fashion by exploring the
social economy and promoting it through various policies and financial instruments, such as
micro-loans and specialized venture capital funds.
Strat egy 7
Explore and promote ways for people to make the most out of their money through
• better access to local or cheaper FOOD sources (e.g. farmer markets, garden sharing/communal
gardens).
Air
System Natural environment
Goal Calgarians value the quality of clean air, recognizing it as the most basic need for
survival. Treasuring clear, bright skies, we steward our airshed and responsibly
address climate change. Economic and social activities protect all living things by
ensuring healthy air quality indoors and out.
5 Target
By 2036, Calgary’s ecological footprint decreases to below the 2001 Canadian average of
7.25 hectares per capita.
Strat egy 1
Mitigate the environmental impacts of transportation, including for work, recreation,
trade, etc.
• Invest in public transportation and bicycle lanes.
• Integrate land use and transportation planning to counter low density, segregated land use and
vehicle dependence (a.k.a. sprawl).
• Encourage people to walk or bicycle whenever possible.
• Encourage people to carpool or take public transportation to work instead of driving alone.
• Encourage people to drive smaller, more fuel-efficient cars and keep them well maintained.
• Encourage people to buy more locally grown FOODs and locally produced goods, to reduce the
need for transportation.
Land and soil
System Natural environment
Goal Fertile soil is vital to maintaining life. Calgarians are responsible stewards of land,
maintaining the life-supporting processes integral to healthy, intact ecosystems.
We use and share our land wisely and equitably.
Strategy 4
Develop incentives to support businesses that operate in environmentally sustainable ways.
• Offer support for attracting and retaining sustainable industry.
• Ensure industrial and business centres are designed to be eco-efficient.
• Enhance e-commerce infrastructure within Calgary.
• Provide incentives for companies wanting to be located in eco-parks.
• Provide property tax incentives for green homes/properties (e.g. smaller homes).
• Promote sustainable practices like LEED.
2 Target
By 2036, sustainable urban FOOD production increases to five per cent.
Strat egy 1
Support and develop land use, public regulations and infrastructure that promote urban
FOOD production.
• Promote the farming of unused and underused lands.
• Establish a percentage of urban land to be set aside for FOOD production
(e.g. community gardens).
• Develop land use districts for urban FOOD production.
• Introduce urban agriculture as part of housing development.
• Consider areas with appropriate microclimates to place FOOD growth areas.
Strat egy 2
Extend appropriate farm-related services and other consumer opportunities to urban farmers.
• Establish subsidies for local FOOD producers.
• Require mainstream FOOD stores to carry certain a percentage of locally produced FOOD.
• Increase accessibility to allow small producers to participate in farmers’ markets.
Strat egy 3
Encourage the development of household, community and public FOOD gardens.
• Allow green roofs for FOOD production.
• Encourage people to plant rear yard gardens to supplement FOOD production.
• Grow FOOD in city parks, on hospital grounds, on school grounds and on other appropriate lands.
• Encourage FOOD banks to develop their own gardens through sweat equity.
• Promote community-based gardens and local farmers’ markets in various Calgary communities.
Strat egy 4
Educate the public and professionals about unsustainable land use patterns and
opportunities for local FOOD production.
• Educate about composting, gardens, soil conservation and surface permeability.
• Educate about the benefits of local FOOD production, such as increasing the link between urban
and rural lands.
• Promote and develop FOOD production training.
• Support smart growth that steers development away from farmland with good quality soil.
Land and soil
System Natural environment
Goal Fertile soil is vital to maintaining life. Calgarians are responsible stewards of land,
maintaining the life-supporting processes integral to healthy, intact ecosystems.
We use and share our land wisely and equitably.
3 Target
By 2036, the consumption of urban- and regionally produced FOOD by Calgarians increases to
30 per cent.
Strat egy 1
Educate the public about unsustainable land use patterns and opportunities for local
FOOD production.
• Educate about composting, gardens, soil conservation and surface permeability.
• Educate about the benefits of local FOOD production, such as increasing the link between urban
and rural lands.
• Provide information on the outcomes of applying full cost accounting to FOOD (production,
delivery, transportation, etc.).
Strat egy 2
Increase market access to locally produced FOOD, such as through supermarkets, farmers’
markets, restaurants, etc.
• Support the slow FOOD movement in restaurants.
• Require mainstream FOOD stores to carry a certain percentage of locally produced FOOD.
• Work with the provincial government and health authorities to research and promote the use of
locally produced FOOD.
Strat egy 3
Use economic/financial mechanisms to capture the costs of FOOD and provide incentives to
purchase in a sustainable way.
• Apply full cost accounting (cost and benefit analysis) to FOOD (production, delivery,
transportation, etc.).
• Establish environmental taxes to discourage unsustainable practices.
4 Target
By 2036, there is zero per cent new soil contamination.
Strategy 1
Educate residents, organizations and business about the advantages of soil fertility.
• Establish FOOD gardens.
• Educate the public on the value of soil.
6 Target
By 2036, Calgary’s ecological footprint decreases to below the 2001 Canadian average of
7.25 hectares per capita.
Strategy 1
Improve FOOD consumption to reflect sustainable living.
• Use product labelling and certification systems to guide consumption and green procurement.
• Establish reliable certification systems to give people the choice to buy products that are grown/
harvested in sustainable ways.
• Avoid dependence on imports that are produced with destructive consequences to people and
ecosystems.
• Encourage people not to overeat, but to consume the calories appropriate for their ages and
levels of activity.
• Encourage people to eat more grains, vegetables and natural FOODs.
• Support local agriculture, sustainable farming methods and nutritional education.
Strategy 2
Create educational programs that address unsustainable consumption patterns
and promote
sustainable practices.
• Increase public literacy on why and how to reduce the consumption
of threatened
ecosystem resources.
• Encourage producers
Health and wellness
System Social
Goal Calgary is known for its attention to a healthy lifestyle. We sustain physical, mental
and social well-being. In circumstances in which health is compromised, we can easily
access knowledge and services. Ecological, social and economic interconnectedness is
reflected in our support for well-being.
1 Target
By 2036, all Calgarians live in a safe and clean natural environment, as measured by the
quality of its air, water, soil and FOOD sources, plus by the lack of exposure to toxic waste.
Health and wellness
System Social
Goal Calgary is known for its attention to a healthy lifestyle. We sustain physical, mental
and social well-being. In circumstances in which health is compromised, we can easily
access knowledge and services. Ecological, social and economic interconnectedness is
reflected in our support for well-being.
2
Target
By 2036, 95 per cent of Calgarians enjoy positive and supportive living conditions, as reflected
by adequate income; high rates of employment; adequate FOOD and appropriate nutrition;
appropriate, adequate and affordable housing; and high levels of personal safety.
Indicators
• Unemployment rates remain below five per cent for all demographic groups in Calgary.
• Disparities between the income levels of the richest and poorest Calgarians, as measured by
the Gini coefficient, do not exceed 0.25 (over 0.3 in 2006, while 0.25 is common in
Scandinavian countries).
• All parents report that they have enough money to buy sufficient FOOD for their children all of
the time (80 per cent to 85 per cent in 2006).
• FOOD banks and FOOD supplement programs are not required.
T arg e t D e v e lopm e nt
i m a g i n e C A L G A R Y — S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 7
This document provides background context for understanding the imagineCALGARY targets. These targets were
developed using a wide range of research, expert analysis and the collective wisdom of participants in the multidisciplinary
working group process. Guided by the 100-year goals, these create a reference point for the community to determine
individual and collective action.
FOOD
T1 By 2036, Calgarians support
local FOOD production.
• Local FOOD production is important to promote as it reduces the need to
rely on FOOD from sources that are beyond our control, it reduces the high
costs and energy consumption associated with transporting our FOOD and
it supports opportunities for local FOOD producers. The population within
Calgary requires a significant amount of FOOD to sustain itself, and it is
unlikely a significant amount of our FOOD can be produced locally, given
our climate and soil conditions. Therefore, a numerical value has not been
assigned to the amount of local FOOD production that will be achieved
within Calgary — only that it will be optimized.
• There is no data available to describe how much FOOD is being produced
within Calgary. However, it is recognized that according to the Alberta
Government, 71.5 per cent of Calgarians participated in gardening
activities during 2004. This is down slightly from the 2000 level of 73.5
per cent. These figures do not make the distinction between leisure
(aesthetic) and FOOD gardening.
T2 By 2036, Calgary maintains
access to reliable and quality
FOOD sources.
• At regular intervals, we should ensure we are maintaining access to
reliable and quality FOOD sources. FOOD security exists when all people,
at all times, have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious FOOD to meet
their dietary needs and FOOD preferences for active and healthy lives. FOOD
security includes, at a minimum, (1) the ready availability of nutritionally
adequate and safe FOODs and (2) an assured ability to acquire acceptable
FOODs in socially acceptable ways (that is, without resorting to emergency
FOOD supplies, scavenging, stealing or other coping strategies).
T3 By 2036, 100 per cent of
Calgary’s FOOD supply derives
from sources that practice
sustainable FOOD production.
• Many FOOD producers do not practice sustainable FOOD production.
In many cases, there is considerable use of chemicals, there is no
consideration for the long-term impacts of producing FOOD in certain
ways and there are practices that do not operate under fair trade
practices. This target is intended to address the practices of those
supplying FOOD to Calgarians and to encourage us to move to more
sustainable sources and practices.
T4 By 2010, 100 per cent of
Calgarians have access to
nutritious FOODs.
• In countries, provinces and cities as well off as ours, all people should
have access to nutritious FOOD. Currently, FOOD banks are still required to
provide FOOD to those unable to access FOOD. This target looks at a shorter
time frame than 30 years and directs us to ensure nutritious FOODs are
available to all people.
T2 By 2036, sustainable urban
FOOD production increases to
five per cent.
There is no data available to describe how much FOOD is being produced
within Calgary. However, it is recognized that according to the Alberta
Government (Alberta Recreation Survey), 71.5 per cent of Calgarians
participated in gardening activities during 2004. This is down slightly from
the 2000 level of 73.5 per cent. These figures do not discriminate between
leisure (aesthetic) and FOOD gardening. Other studies (Sustainable Calgary,
2004 State of the City Report) indicate a growing number of Calgarians are
participating in community gardens; however, these lands are becoming
increasingly vulnerable to land development. Vancouver has set a target of
a five per cent increase in urban FOOD production, based on their already
high level of production (above 50 per cent). A five per cent production
increase would, for instance, mean an increase of five per cent of the land
set aside for FOOD production on each residential lot in Calgary.
This equals approximately 6.5 to 14 square metres of each lot dedicated to
FOOD production.
T3 By 2036, the consumption of
urban- and regionally produced
FOOD by Calgarians increases to
30 per cent.
This is backcasted from 100 per cent in 2106 and uses zero per cent as a
base. According to Sustainable Calgary, the numbers of farmers’ markets,
vendors and visitors have all increased. This favourable trend bodes well
for the residents’ independence from FOOD produced outside the region.
Increasing this trend will reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions
related to transporting FOOD long distances and will improve soil quality,
which in turn will improve overall ecological health.
Water
T4 By 2036, watershed health — as
measured by loss of wetlands,
water quality, non-compliance
with pollution standards, instream
flow and groundwater
levels — improves.
Watersheds are a reflection of the health of our natural environment. Water
quality and water quantity are directly impacted by human intervention
in ecosystems – from the way we construct our communities, including
residential development and infrastructure, to the way we live on a daily
basis, including driving habits that cause air/soil pollution to waste creation
from certain consumption patterns. Ecosystems that involve fresh water
produce countless essential ecological goods and services, like human
health maintenance, air and water purification, nutrient cycling, FOOD
production and waste treatment. Freshwater ecosystems provide habitat for
numerous species of plants and animals, including fish, shellfish, mammals
and birds. These services need to be protected for long-term sustainability.
When freshwater decreases in quantity and quality, there is a long-term
cost to attempting to replace lost ecological goods and services. As Calgary
attracts more people and grows faster, the greater its influence is likely to
be on surrounding areas. In Calgary’s case, growing industrial production
and higher levels of income in particular place even more pressure on areas
of sensitivity.
Health and wellness
T1 By 2036, all Calgarians live
in a safe and clean natural
environment, as measured by
the quality of its air, water, soil
and FOOD sources, plus by the
lack of exposure to toxic waste.
Human health is deeply affected by the health of the natural environment.
Healthy individuals form a healthy community.
T2 By 2036, 95 per cent of
Calgarians enjoy positive and
supportive living conditions, as
reflected by adequate income;
high rates of employment;
adequate FOOD and appropriate
nutrition; appropriate, adequate
and affordable housing; and
high levels of personal safety.
Socio-economic factors directly impact the health status of individuals and
communities. Calgary’s widening income gap, and the issues that go with
it, are significant risks to the health of our community.
P R I M A R Y TA R G E T C O N N E C T I O N S
FOOD
Target 1
Increase local
FOOD production
• goods and
services
• economic
well-being
• land and soil • lifelong learning
• sense of community
Target 2
Maintain secure
and reliable
FOOD sources
• goods and
services
• economic
well-being
• health and wellness
Target 3
Increase
sustainable
FOOD production
• goods and
services
• economic
well-being
• land and soil • health and wellness
• lifelong learning
Target 4
Ensure access to
nutritious FOODs
• economic
well-being
• sufficient
income
• health and wellness
• lifelong learning
Goods and services
Target 1
Align with
a sustainable
business
practice ethic
• economic
well-being
• air
• water
• health and wellness
• sense of community
Need Built Economic Governance Natural Social
Target 2
Diversity of locally
based businesses
• FOOD • economic
well-being
• sense of community
Target 3
Responsible
consumers
• FOOD • economic
well-being
• soil
• air
• lifelong learning
Target 4
Complete
communities
with daily
goods and
services
• FOOD
• housing
• air • lifelong learning
• sense of community
Land and soil
Target 2
Increase urban
FOOD production
• FOOD
• energy
• transportation
• goods and
services
• economic
well-being
• meaningful
work
• water
• plants and
animals
• lifelong learning
• sense of community
Target 3
Increase urban
and regional FOOD
consumption
• energy
• transportation
• goods and
services
• economic
well-being
• meaningful
work
• water
• plants and
animals
• health and wellness
• lifelong learning
