CAMPAIGN NEWS

At the door, when folks read “food security” on my platform leaflet, they’re immediately drawn into conversations about food banks, soup kitchens, and food drives. While these are fantastic initiatives, they are not necessarily food security. Food security is about building more resilient, self-sustaining food systems that are less dependent on volatile world markets... and political leaders. As we’re now seeing with increasing tariffs on billions of dollars’ worth of Canadia

It may seem like an idealistic vision, but it is one that is, in fact, based on real-life policy examples from municipalities across Canada and around the world. The plan starts with following Toronto's example of City-run grocery stores. Essentially, these are non-profit operations wherein all revenue goes toward maintaining operations rather than generating profit. By cutting out some of the middle-people, for example, food distributors, suppliers, retailers, and parts of t

*this is an amended version to the article that I wrote on GuelphToday. 1. The current system is costing us more than it needs to. Unlike most Ontario municipalities, Guelph elects two part-time councillors per ward rather than one full-time councillor. While that may not sound like a major difference, it means the people making some of the city’s most important decisions about budgets, housing, transportation, infrastructure and public services are expected to do so in rough

The federal government recently announced its first National Food Security Strategy (the "Strategy"), backed by more than $3 billion in investments as well as clear metrics to measure its impact. Municipalities have an important role to play in this plan and, as a result, significant opportunities to benefit. For example, through the Strategy's proposed establishment of 10 regional food hubs by 2028, municipalities will have the opportunity to consolidate harvests from small

UPDATE: The University of Guelph recently announced a plan to connect students with older adults for companionship and lower rent! Councillor Marty Carr in Ottawa is my aunt, and I lived with her in the year leading up to her election in 2022. I vividly remember her speaking about the need for more creative approaches to addressing the housing crisis. And she didn’t just speak about it: she practiced what she preached. When I couldn’t find an affordable apartment in Ottawa, s

By: Dakota Cherry Non-profit, community-run grocery stores are not a "socialist concept", but rather a proven and effective way that municipalities can tackle rising food prices and reclaim some control over our local food system. If looking for large-scale, long-standing examples of this, one of the best can be found in the U.S. military’s commissary stores. Run by the Department of Defense to provide affordable food for military personnel, retirees, and their families, this