Building a Better Food System, Together!
Welcome!
This page shares our community’s efforts to strengthen the local food system. Together, we’re developing a collaborative plan to help make our food system more fair, sustainable, and secure for everyone—now and into the future.
This page will grow and improve with input from you and others in the community.
What Is a Food System?
A food system is everything that happens from farm to fork:
- Growing and producing food
- Processing and moving food
- Selling, eating and sharing food
- Composting and managing the waste our food produces
It also includes education, policies, and community programs that affect how we access and value food.
Each part of the system has an impact on our health, environment, and economy.
Why a Strong Local Food System Matters
A strong food system helps us:
- Make sure everyone can access nutritious food
- Support local farmers and food businesses
- Take care of our land and environment
- Value and promote local food
Why This Matters
Food is a big part of our lives. It affects our health, our land, and our local economy. People in our region care about food—and we’re ready to work together to make things better.
Here are some of the challenges we’re facing— these are issues our community can act on through a food strategy:
What Is a Regional Food Strategy?
It’s a shared plan to:
- Understand how our food system works
- Coordinate efforts across sectors
- See what’s going well and what needs work
- Set clear goals and actions
- Involve the community every step of the way
Project: The Development of an Orillia and Area Food Plan
This work builds on years of local food action in Orillia and area, including:
How You Can Get Involved
This work is led by The Sharing Place Food Centre, with support from the City of Orillia, and growing with the support of community partners across the region. Join us!
Your voice matters. Help shape the strategy by:
- Filling out our short community survey to get connected and give input:
- Join upcoming events (check this page for updates)
- Become an advisor to help shape the strategy
Resources
As the strategy grows, we’ll post more information here:
Key Documents:
Helpful Links
Have Questions?
Email us at: foodsystem@sharingplaceorillia.org
Updates
- Check back here often for the latest news and ways to get involved!
- Our Food Strategy Open House took place on Thursday, June 12th. Click here to view highlights.
