Matawa Education Centre and Roots to Harvest

Matawa Learning Centre (MLC), a community based educational support centre for seven Matawa First Nation schools: Aroland, Eabametoong, Nibinamik, Long Lake #58, Ginoogaming, Neskantaga, and Webequie First Nations. MLC is a key collaborator and partner of Roots to Harvest - a not-for-profit organization and local food leader based in Thunder Bay. MLC partnered with Roots to Harvest to implement a “Forest Meets Farm” initiative to empower and increase First Nation youth awareness of traditional local food in the Thunder Bay region.

It's in our ROOTs - Increasing Local Food Literacy Through Culinary Classes, Woodstock $40,000

Rural Oxford Economic Development Corporation will develop a curriculum for four different culinary class offerings across Oxford County. Capitalizing on the expertise and enthusiasm of celebrity chef Murray Zehr, the classes will increase the local food literacy and skills (canning, preserving) of both youth and adults; foster relationships between consumers and producers; and result in increased local food purchases for consumption during the winter months.

Rebuilding Consumer Trust in Farmers’ Markets, Toronto $65,000

The Greenbelt Farmers' Market Network (GBFMN) will undertake a comprehensive survey of consumer attitudes towards farmers’ markets and utilize the findings to develop new marketing strategies and materials. Additionally, GBFMN will provide IT support to help Market Managers take advantage of online advertising opportunities, provide workshop-based instruction on small business enterprise tools in relation to the collected market data and engage in stakeholder work to promote a systemic shift towards vendor transparency.

Strengthening the Ontario Beef Value Chain from Birth to Plate, Guelph $11,000

Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) will create an educational training video for farmers and processors on how to produce the high quality beef carcasses desired by Ontario consumers, providing beef carcass literacy training on how on-farm management practices and genetic selection impact quality and value. The video will be shared widely to BFO’s industry networks and partners, and through online channels and at meetings and events.

Targeted Local Food Education and Vaughan’s Connections to the Agricultural Sector, Vaughan $15,000

The City of Vaughan will leverage city assets (Parks, Community Gardens, Libraries and Community Centres) to undertake local food programming and outreach activities. Communications content will emphasize access to local food in relation to Vaughan’s food sector businesses, Vaughan’s community garden program, and complementing information such as the York Region Farm Fresh Map.

Sap Tap - Maple Products in the North, Sault Ste. Marie $8,200

Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre will design and build an interactive exhibit at the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre that targets youth and the general public, educating them on the local maple syrup industry. An iOS based video game application for iPad will be developed and incorporated within the exhibit, and items showcasing the significance of this tradition to First Nations and Metis people. The project will connect people with local culinary experiences and farms, engaging over 205,000 visitors in the next five to seven years.

Growing Under Glass: Educational Info Sessions in the Produce Aisle, Leamington $66,750

Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG) will educate consumers on greenhouse vegetable growing practices and increase consumer confidence in Ontario greenhouse grown vegetables. OGVG plans to host 112 consumer engagement educational demos in 56 locations, including retail stores, farmers markets, culinary school campuses, and recreational facilities; create educational materials and incorporate a local food literacy game into their existing app to reach a wider audience.

Building Reciprocity through Social Media, Aurora $16,500

Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association (OFFMA) will work with their approximately 300 farmer members to increase their social media presence across multiple platforms, raising consumer awareness of local food products and purchases of local food at farm-gate. OFFMA will increase the local food literacy of influential food bloggers (minimum of 10,000 followers each), coordinating visits and experiences with on-farm markets and farm fresh food, while working with their members to undertake a comprehensive social media strategy.  

Celebrating Local and Indigenous Foods in Northwestern Ontario (Forest Meets Farm), Thunder Bay $25,000

Working with community partners and indigenous knowledge keepers, Roots to Harvest will deliver a series of four experiential learning modules to four high schools in Northern Ontario. The modules will build knowledge of local food and skills to prepare locally-sourced traditional indigenous foods. The project will include a culminating public event and a recipe book featuring local farmers and producers in Northern Ontario.

Growing the Good Food Machine, York $25,000

FoodShare Toronto has partnered with Loyalty One to scale-up The Good Food Machine - a local food literacy program that teaches children how to grow and cook healthy food using an indoor hydroponic tower garden and classroom kitchen/cooking kits. They will develop an online learning platform for teachers, as well as offer educator training and user on-boarding across the province and reaching 450+ organizations.