Squamish Food Policy Council
Terms of Reference
(last updated December 2017)
Vision
Our food system will be economically viable and ecologically sustainable; our community will grow, harvest, process, preserve, and distribute food to all of its members while eliminating waste. A thriving local food culture that celebrates eating locally and eating together will support us in living healthier, happier, and richer lives connected to the land, to growers, and to each other.
Mission
Our mission is that ALL members of Squamish have access to enough nutritious, safe, ecologically sustainable, and culturally appropriate food at all times.
Purpose
The Squamish Food Policy Council advises and makes recommendations to the District of Squamish Council, Mayor, and Staff and the Squamish Lillooet Regional District on food issues in Squamish. Recommendations can range from program development to policy changes and implementation that all support to improve our local food system in Squamish.
We are comprised of community members across a wide spectrum of food related industries/sectors (i.e. individuals, nonprofits, and for profit). We function as a bridge between citizens and civic officials, coming together to advance municipal food policy and initiatives that benefit all Squamish citizens. The SFPC meets regularly to discuss and make recommendations to affect changes to current policies, facilitate new policy development related to the food system, hear presentations by community groups and experts engaged in food issues, educate residents, stimulate dialogue, initiate projects and partnerships, and have a good time while doing it.
Policy Advice
The Policy Council:
Collaboration
The Policy Council:
Awareness and outreach
The Policy Council:
Planning and reporting
The Policy Council:
Meeting Frequency
The Council meets eight times per year. Meetings can be added or cancelled at the call of the chair.
Time commitment
Outside of meetings, members should expect to spend at least two hours on email and other correspondence per month. Additional tasks (requiring additional time commitment) are: report writing, editing documents, research, and networking. Preparation time for all meetings is required. Membership on ad hoc subcommittee(s) may come with separate time commitments.
Attendance Requirement
Members may miss no more than two meetings in a calendar year without obtaining leave of absence from the Policy Council. Membership will be terminated following the second such absence.
Membership
Chair
Chair(s) are selected through a nomination and election process, serving 3 years. Chairs are voting members.
Staff
The Council has 2 of its own staff persons (not the staff liaisons from the DOS and VCH) that do the background research on relevant issues and make recommendations to the Council.
Format
Our Squamish Food Policy Council (SFPC) is a Hybrid Model with Indirect Links to Government (Category 3 in Municipal Food Policy Entrepreneurs by MacRae and Donahue, 2013, pg. 10 http://www.ensser.org/fileadmin/files/2013_MacRae%26Donahue.pdf).
These food policy initiatives are a hybrid of civil society organizations and government (not an official committee of Squamish Council) with significant linkages to local government via departments and government staff. Public health structures and staffing are important, with financial support from a mix of sources.
This format allows us the benefit of blending municipal and civil society organization resources (i.e. funding, additional regional and national support) and expertise, and allows for a more flexible agenda.
Examples of communities that use this model are Kamloops, BC and Hamilton, ON.
Committees
The Council has one permanent committee dedicated to handling nominations and recruitment for voting members.
The rest of the committees are ad hoc, created as needed. Ad hoc committees are open to the public but must include one council member, and must have a set time frame and outcome/objective.
Connection to Squamish CAN
The Squamish Food Policy Council is its own entity with ties to the Squamish Climate Action Network (CAN). Squamish CAN manages the finances and provides staff for administration and communication. These connections are subject to change over time as the groups grow.
Priority Areas 2016/2017:
For evaluation and voting each year.
1. Vision, policy, and bylaws: Provide feedback on the vision of Squamish through the development of the Official Community Plan (OCP). Once the vision is set, we can look at amending policy statements and the bylaws that support it, e.g. partner with the Ministry of Agriculture on a agriculture land use inventory and agriculture plan.
2. Developing agriculture: Partner with Ministry of Agriculture, District of Squamish, Squamish Lillooet Regional District, and First Nations to support existing and new farmers. Preserve agricultural land.
3. Infrastructure: Expand infrastructure to support food (processing/storage/food rescue/food hub/farm infrastructure/year-round farmers’ market)
4. Education: Support food education and skill sharing
5. Food waste: Reduce food waste in all areas of the food system
6. Raise public awareness about relative programs and issues of interest. e.g. create a food asset map of Squamish
7. Food access: Support increased access to food for all
8. Share our experiences with others in the region and BC through our partnerships with Vancouver Coastal Health, BC Food Systems Network, Young Agrarians, and BC Healthy Communities.
Terms of Reference
(last updated December 2017)
Vision
Our food system will be economically viable and ecologically sustainable; our community will grow, harvest, process, preserve, and distribute food to all of its members while eliminating waste. A thriving local food culture that celebrates eating locally and eating together will support us in living healthier, happier, and richer lives connected to the land, to growers, and to each other.
Mission
Our mission is that ALL members of Squamish have access to enough nutritious, safe, ecologically sustainable, and culturally appropriate food at all times.
Purpose
The Squamish Food Policy Council advises and makes recommendations to the District of Squamish Council, Mayor, and Staff and the Squamish Lillooet Regional District on food issues in Squamish. Recommendations can range from program development to policy changes and implementation that all support to improve our local food system in Squamish.
We are comprised of community members across a wide spectrum of food related industries/sectors (i.e. individuals, nonprofits, and for profit). We function as a bridge between citizens and civic officials, coming together to advance municipal food policy and initiatives that benefit all Squamish citizens. The SFPC meets regularly to discuss and make recommendations to affect changes to current policies, facilitate new policy development related to the food system, hear presentations by community groups and experts engaged in food issues, educate residents, stimulate dialogue, initiate projects and partnerships, and have a good time while doing it.
Policy Advice
The Policy Council:
- Provides input to District of Squamish Council and staff about issues of concern
- Considers any matters which may be referred to the Policy Council by Council or staff
- May take positions on policy initiatives from other levels of government within the mandate of the Policy Council
Collaboration
The Policy Council:
- Works co-operatively with other agencies working on food initiatives, including initiating and developing relevant projects
- Acts as a resource for Council and health staff doing public involvement processes and civic events
Awareness and outreach
The Policy Council:
- Exchanges information with the general public and educational institutions about relevant programs and issues of interest
- Engages in outreach to disseminate information and encourage participation from constituent communities
- Supports groups developing projects to enhance the food system
Planning and reporting
The Policy Council:
- Presents annually or at the call of the mayor, to the Squamish Council(s) describing its priorities for the year ahead, and its accomplishments from the past year
Meeting Frequency
The Council meets eight times per year. Meetings can be added or cancelled at the call of the chair.
Time commitment
Outside of meetings, members should expect to spend at least two hours on email and other correspondence per month. Additional tasks (requiring additional time commitment) are: report writing, editing documents, research, and networking. Preparation time for all meetings is required. Membership on ad hoc subcommittee(s) may come with separate time commitments.
Attendance Requirement
Members may miss no more than two meetings in a calendar year without obtaining leave of absence from the Policy Council. Membership will be terminated following the second such absence.
Membership
- The Council has nine voting members. Members are selected through an application process to ensure that diverse viewpoints are represented. Successful applicants are selected by the membership committee. The seven sectors that ideally would be represented are: Food Production, Processing, Retail, Waste, Access, First Nations, and School District 48. The remaining two members are members at large and may represent any aspect of the food system.
- Terms of office for voting members are three years, with one-third turnover per year (this means that during the first three years, some members will need to have one or two year terms).
- Voting members can hold up to two terms.
- The Council has non-voting members/liaisons from the District of Squamish and Vancouver Coastal Health. These members are serve has liaisons to attend by their respective organizations.
- Quorum for meetings is two-thirds.
- The cost of membership is $5.00 (sliding scale, or can be waived by discretion of the chair).
- The Council makes decisions by consensus (i.e, “I can Live with that”).
- Meetings are open to the general public and are announced publicly.
Chair
Chair(s) are selected through a nomination and election process, serving 3 years. Chairs are voting members.
Staff
The Council has 2 of its own staff persons (not the staff liaisons from the DOS and VCH) that do the background research on relevant issues and make recommendations to the Council.
Format
Our Squamish Food Policy Council (SFPC) is a Hybrid Model with Indirect Links to Government (Category 3 in Municipal Food Policy Entrepreneurs by MacRae and Donahue, 2013, pg. 10 http://www.ensser.org/fileadmin/files/2013_MacRae%26Donahue.pdf).
These food policy initiatives are a hybrid of civil society organizations and government (not an official committee of Squamish Council) with significant linkages to local government via departments and government staff. Public health structures and staffing are important, with financial support from a mix of sources.
This format allows us the benefit of blending municipal and civil society organization resources (i.e. funding, additional regional and national support) and expertise, and allows for a more flexible agenda.
Examples of communities that use this model are Kamloops, BC and Hamilton, ON.
Committees
The Council has one permanent committee dedicated to handling nominations and recruitment for voting members.
The rest of the committees are ad hoc, created as needed. Ad hoc committees are open to the public but must include one council member, and must have a set time frame and outcome/objective.
Connection to Squamish CAN
The Squamish Food Policy Council is its own entity with ties to the Squamish Climate Action Network (CAN). Squamish CAN manages the finances and provides staff for administration and communication. These connections are subject to change over time as the groups grow.
Priority Areas 2016/2017:
For evaluation and voting each year.
1. Vision, policy, and bylaws: Provide feedback on the vision of Squamish through the development of the Official Community Plan (OCP). Once the vision is set, we can look at amending policy statements and the bylaws that support it, e.g. partner with the Ministry of Agriculture on a agriculture land use inventory and agriculture plan.
2. Developing agriculture: Partner with Ministry of Agriculture, District of Squamish, Squamish Lillooet Regional District, and First Nations to support existing and new farmers. Preserve agricultural land.
3. Infrastructure: Expand infrastructure to support food (processing/storage/food rescue/food hub/farm infrastructure/year-round farmers’ market)
4. Education: Support food education and skill sharing
5. Food waste: Reduce food waste in all areas of the food system
6. Raise public awareness about relative programs and issues of interest. e.g. create a food asset map of Squamish
7. Food access: Support increased access to food for all
8. Share our experiences with others in the region and BC through our partnerships with Vancouver Coastal Health, BC Food Systems Network, Young Agrarians, and BC Healthy Communities.
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