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“We
all know how important nutrition is to overall health,” said Polak. “We’re
pleased to support A Seat at the Table, which helps provide local governments
with some practical workable ideas they can use in their own communities to
help ensure more locally grown food is available.”
A
Seat at the Table was funded and developed by the B.C.’s Community Food Action
Initiative through a partnership with UBCM. The guide provides ideas and
initiatives to help improve access of healthy foods to communities and also
provide ways to reduce the burden of chronic illnesses often related to eating.
It outlines how local governments can encourage the availability of healthy
foods while improving local economies, the environment and the well-being of
communities.
The
resource focuses on community gardens as a way to help increase access to
nutritious food, and foster healthier
and more socially responsible communities, while revitalizing unused land
areas. It outlines how farmer’s markets help enrich communities by attracting
locals and tourists and also promote local farmers and local foods. As well,
the guide points to neighbourhood planning as a way to
reduce the need for transportation and improve access to nutritious foods.
“In recent years, local governments have taken a greater role to
encourage local food production and access to healthy foods,” said UBCM
president Susan Gimse. “A Seat at the Table will help us build on these efforts
to increase healthy eating in B.C.”
Local
governments can receive copies of A Seat at the Table at the Union of British
Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) meeting in
The
Province invests $1.5 million a year in the Community Food Action Initiative
supported by all B.C.’s health authorities. With its launch in September 2005,
it became the first provincial initiative in
-30-
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contact: |
Communications Director Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport 250 812-4012 (cell) |
Relationships and Communications Advisor – UBCM 250 490-2388 |
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For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca. |
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