Cloverbelt Local Food Cooperative

Local food distribution successes and challenges in northwestern, Ontario with Jennifer Springett, President of Cloverbelt Local Food Cooperative (CLFC) based in Dryden, Ontario. CLFC’s innovative approach to local food distribution goes against traditional brick-and-mortar food hubs, and instead leverages a network of existing infrastructure and regional assets to distribute local food in a geographically expansive and sparsely populated region, which includes remote and isolated communities in Emo, Sioux Lookout, and Kenora. https://www.cloverbeltlocalfoodcoop.com/

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.

Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre - Nourish Initiative

Traditional food programs in northern Ontario and how traditional food can be a pathway to reconciliation. Kathy Loon, Program Manager of Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre and lead of traditional food programs in northern, Ontario was interviewed and shared the importance of local and traditional food on patient health, and the benefits of sourcing local food in health centres in the north.

Meno Ya Win Health Centre is the only hospital in Canada to have special legislation that allows them serve traditional and local uninspected food, like wild meat and game.

For their local food literacy project, Forest Meets Farm, Roots to Harvest created and led a series of four hands-on, experiential workshops designed for four local high schools. The workshops explore the many aspects of our local food system, highlighting foraging, hunting and fishing, farming and preserving. The youth learned to celebrate the wild and cultivated foods of Northern Ontario as the project engaged community partners and indigenous knowledge keepers.

Find the toolkit with lesson plans and recipes here

Watch the first webinar on the project: An Overview and The Curriculum

Watch the final webinar on the project: Evaluation Findings and Toolkit

Packed with hands-on tips and resources from local food educators, Sustain Ontario’s series of 5 webinars provide:

• A wide range of ideas for how to get students (elementary and high school) excited about local food
• Curriculum connections for various grade levels and subject areas (including math, science, social studies, and health & physical education) and includes sample lesson plans and activities
• Tip sheets and access to high-quality, ready to use resources

See below for links and descriptions.

Heirloom Panzanella with Corn Fritters - St. James Catholic High School

Ontario Blueberry Braised Leg of Lamb – St. James Catholic High School

The Role of Co-operatives in Local Food Systems Development – United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Development

Ontario Food Preserves Project – George Brown College, Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts

Local Food, Beyond the Market 6 of 6: Benefits – Guelph Community Health Centre