News

This section provides updates on the site.  See blog posts for general news on food policy developments.

February 2024 site updates

Across the site, very specific content updates related to recent developments and analysis

January 2024 site updates

Across the site, very specific content updates related to recent developments and analysis

December 2023 site updates

Across the site, very specific content updates related to recent developments and analysis

November 2023 site updates

Across the site, very specific content updates related to recent developments

October 2023 site updates

Across the site, very specific content updates related to recent developments and insertion of links to improve functionality

September 2023 site updates

Across the site, very specific content updates related to recent developments and insertion of links to improve functionality

August 2023 site updates

Across the site, very specific content updates related to recent developments and insertion of links to improve functionality

Goal 5, Water and the food system

Working on all subsections.

July 2023 site updates

Across the site, very specific content updates related to recent developments and insertion of links to improve functionality

June 2023 site updates

Across the site, very specific content updates related to recent developments and insertion of links to improve functionality

May 2023 site updates

Across the site, very specific content updates related to recent developments and insertion of links to improve functionality

April 2023 site updates

Across the site, very specific content updates related to recent developments and insertion of links to improve functionality

March 2023 site updates

Across the site, very specific content updates related to recent developments and insertion of links to improve functionality

February 2023 site updates

Across the site, very specific content updates related to recent developments and insertion of links to improve functionality

Under Goal 2, Rebuilding local and regional food infrastructure

Completed action area

January 2023 site updates

Across the site, very specific content updates related to recent developments and insertion of links to improve functionality

December 2022 site updates

Across the site, very specific content updates related to recent developments and insertion of links to improve functionality

November 2022 site updates

The Short Version (in footer)

Completed section

October 2022 site updates

Across the site, very specific content updates related to recent developments and insertion of links to improve functionality

September 2022 site updates

Across the site, very specific content updates related to recent developments and insertion of links to improve functionality

August 2022 site updates

Across the site, very specific content updates related to recent developments and insertion of links to improve functionality

July 2022 site updates

Across Goals 1,2 and 3 - very specific content updates related to recent developments and insertion of links to improve functionality.

June 2022 site updates

Under Goal 2, Rebuilding local and regional food infrastructure

Working on all sections

May 2022 site updates

Under Goal 9, Changing what we consider edible

Completed action area

Under Goal 5, Water and the food system

Working on all sections

April 2022 site updates

Under Goal 1 Pre-natal nutrition and breastfeeding

Completed action area

Under Goal 9, Changing what we consider edible

Working on all sections

March 2022 site updates

Under Goal 2, Rebuilding local and regional food infrastructure

Working on all sections

Under Goal 9, Changing what we consider edible

Working on all sections

Under Goal 5, Wildlife and species at risk

Completed action area

February 2022 site updates

Under Goal 9, Changing what we consider edible

Working on all sections

Under Goal 5, Wildlife and species at risk

Working on all sections

Under Goal 2, Rebuilding local and regional food infrastructure

Working on all sections

January 2022 site updates

Under Goal 2, Demand supply Coordination

Updating Lessons from WWII

Under Goal 5, Wildlife and species at risk

Working on all sections

Under Goal 2, Rebuilding local and regional food infrastructure

Working on all sections

December 2021 site updates

Goal 5, Sustainable Fisheries Management

Updates related to aquatic species at risk and the Fisheries Act

Frameworks

Additions to numerous categories

Under Goal 5, Wildlife and species at risk

Working on all sections

Under Goal 8, New farmer programmes

Completed action area

November 2021 site updates

Under Goal 5, Wildlife and species at risk

Working on all sections

Under Goal 8, New farmer programmes

Working on all sections

Under Goal 2, Demand supply Coordination, Redesign

Added section on the potential outcomes of redesign

Under Goal 8, Big data, automation and work

Preliminary notes

October 2021 site updates

Goal 3, Integrating food into educational processes, Substitution; and Financing the Transition

Updates based on new survey of school food programs in Canada

Goal 4, Food Additives, Processing Aids and Packaging Materials

Completed action area

Goal 3, Integrating food into primarily health care, Substitution

Added proposal on sustainable diet

Get started, Complex supply chains

Additions of a number of commodities to the discussion

Goal 5, Sustainable food, Redesign

Discussion of modelling of wholesale transition

September 2021 site updates

Goal 5, Water and the food system

Notes added to section

Goal 2, Equitable access to food distribution and retail

Added sections regarding new regulations to require store layouts that favour healthy foods.

Goal 7, Structures and processes for participation. Solutions

Additions related to skills required to address wicked problems

Goal 4, Veterinary drugs

Completed action area

Goal 4, Food additives

Working on all subsections

August 2021 site updates

Goal 4, Veterinary drugs

Working on all subsections

Research Projects

Added a research project on agent-based modelling and organic transition

July 2021 site updates

Goal 9, Human animal relations

Completed action area

All goals

Summary of key policy challenges added to each Goal

June 2021 site updates

Goal 9

Continuing work on numerous sections

Get started, What does an effective advocate do, Advocates for Change

New sections on the Many ways governments say no, and the Inner Transition

Goal 2, Demand - supply co-ordination

Additions to Substitution, New planning mechanisms

Instruments, Legislation

Added a section on transition and the legislative process

Instruments, Constitutional provisions

Updates related to the Territories and provincial implementation of their authorities

Goal 4, Fertilizers

Completed action area

May 2021 site updates

Goal 5, Food Waste Reduction

Updates related to waste management and compost

Goal 4, Genetic Engineering

Completed action area

Goal 4, Fertilizers

Working on all subsections

Goal 9

Preliminary work on a number of change areas

April 2021 site updates

Goal 5, Sustainable Transportation

Updated the Financing the Transition section

Many sections of the site

Updates related to the 2021 federal budget.

Goal 10, Trade Agreements

Added a section on Financing the Transition

Goal 5, Sustainable food

Added sections on commercial urban farming, aquaculture and aquaponics

Solutions

Updates addressing additional reading of the sustainable transition literature.

Goal 1, Self and community provisioning

Completed action area

March 2021 site updates

Goal 5, Sustainable Transportation

Added a section under Substitution on improving anti-competition legislation in transportation law.

Goal 2 Demand Supply Coordination

Added a paragraph under lessons from WWII about government skills to implement a complex agenda

Goal 5 Protecting Agricultural Land

Added information on protecting urban farm land under Substitution, Municipal property taxation

Goal 5 Sustainable Food

Additions to numerous sections regarding supports for urban farming. Updates to carbon pricing and trading under Substitution based on Supreme Court decision.

Goal 7, Structures and processes for regulatory pluralism

Added section under Efficiency on organizational training needs in complexity management and roundtable facilitation

Goal 1, Self and community provisioning

Working on all sections and related updates to many other sections of the site

Goal 5, Sustainable food

Updating section on urban food production

Goal 8, Worker rights

Preliminary work on the section

Goal 9, Decolonizing food culture

Preliminary work on the section

February 2021 site updates

Goal 1, Self and community provisioning

Working on all sections and related updates to many other sections of the site

Goal 5, Aboriginal food production

Preliminary work on all sections

Goal 5, Protecting Genetic Resources

Finished sections on Fish and other aquatic organisms, Insects and soil fauna, and Microoorganisms.

January 2021 site updates

Get Started, What does an effective policy advocate do, Advocates for Change, Cases

Created 5 case examples of food policy advocacy in Canada.

Solutions

Added a segment linking the transition framework to policy evaluation and success.

Goal 5, Protecting Genetic Resources

Working on all sections of Embryos, Semen and Animals (completed), and the Financing the Transition section.  Working on the section on Fish.

Get Started and Frameworks

Added sections on Lack of Resilience including summaries of COVID-19 vulnerabilities (Get Started, Problems, General) and Resilience theory (Frameworks, General)

December 2020 site updates

Get Started, Why Joined up Food Policy

Added section on the grand mythological narratives that guide food system actors and functions

Goal 5, Protecting Genetic Diversity

Expanding the Introduction, and the Seeds and Plants sections, completed

Goal 2, Demand Supply Coordination

Updates to DSC Instruments

Goal 5, Sustainable Food, Substitution

Updates to Food in Carbon Pricing

Goal 5, Food Waste Reduction, Supply Chain waste

Added a section on Covid - 19 and food waste

Solutions, The Nature of Transition

Updates to pertinent literature on sustainable transition and counter-hegemony

Instruments

Updates to the section on why instrument design is often ineffective and the section on Subsidies

Goal 3, Reducing Corporate Concentration, Substitution

Updates to the section on Land to align it with Goal 5, Agricultural Land Protection

Goal 2, Demand - supply Coordination, State of local / regional food

Updates on studies related to levels of local self-reliance

Goal 5, Agricultural Land Protection

Additions across the section, completed

November 2020 site updates

Goal 5, Agricultural Land Protection

Additions across the section

Goal 8, Labour Force Development

Updates to numerous sections

Goal 3, Integrating food into educational processes

Updates under Efficiency, Substitution and Financing the Transition

Frameworks, Governance; Solutions, the Nature of Transition

Added sections on Complex Adaptive Systems Theory (and Force Field Analysis under the Nature of Transition)

Goal 3, Integrate food into health care, Redesign

Update to discussion about using health insurance to pay for food

Solutions, Financing the Transition

Introductory remarks added on the challenges of financing the transition

Goal 1, Equitable access to the food distribution system

Additions across the section

October 2020 site updates

Frameworks

Additions to numerous sections

Goal 1, Equitable access to the food distribution system

Additions across the section

Goal 1, Consumer food information

Modifications to discussion in Efficiency and Substitution re: food advertising

Goal 1, Income Security, Substitution and Redesign

Updates to Guaranteed Annual Income discussion and integrated income security architecture

Goal 5, Food Packaging changes

Working on all elements of the section, completed

Solutions, The nature of transition

Additions re: general frameworks, alternatives and counter - hegemony

Sept 2020 site updates

Goal 3, Integrating food into educational processes

Additions to Redesign

Get Started, History of attempts to create a national food policy

Selective additions related to colonial history

Instruments, Constitutional Provisions

Updates on constitutional history related to agricultural jurisdiction

Goal 5, Sustainable Fisheries Management

Selective revisions

Goal 5, Food Packaging changes

Working on all elements of the section

Goal 2, Emergencies

Selective updates based on new analyses related to the Covid emergency

Instruments, International Agreements

New international food agreements added

August 2020 site updates

Goal 5, Food Packaging changes

Working on all elements of the section

Goal 2, Emergencies

Completed action area

July 2020 site updates

Goal 5, Food Packaging changes

Working on all elements of the section

Across the site

Additions related to racism in the food system

June 2020 site updates

Under Goal 3, Food as Health Promotion

Updates to Efficiency and Substitution

Under Goal 5, Food Packaging

Mapping out an approach to this section

Under Goal 1, Income security architecture

Minor updates to  Efficiency, Substitution

Under Instruments, Constitutional Provisions

Minor updates to the framing of the section.

May 2020 site updates

Under Goal 3, Integrating food into educational processes

Updates to Efficiency and Substitution

Under Goal 3, Food as Health Promotion

Updates to Efficiency and Substitution

Under Goal 2, Demand Supply Coordination, Redesign

Information added on provincial emergency measures legislation

Under Goal 1, Income security architecture

New content for Efficiency, Substitution, Redesign and Financing the Transition

April 2020 site updates

Under Goal 5, Protecting Genetic Resources

Material added to numerous sections

Under Goal 1, Income security architecture

New content for all sections

Under Goal 3, Public research and information dissemination

Additions to Substitution and Redesign

March 2020 site updates

Under Goal 3, Public research and information dissemination

Additions to all sub - sections

Under Goal 4, Fertilizers

Outline created

Under Instruments, International Agreements, Trade

Additions and adjustments to CETA, USMCA and the CPATPP.

Under Goal 10, Trade agreements

Updates related to USMCA and CETA, additions to Efficiency and Substitution strategies.

Goal 5, Protecting genetic resources

Building the initial parts of the section

February  2020 site updates

Goal 5, Protecting genetic resources

Building the initial parts of the section

Goal 7, Structures for regulatory pluralism

Additions to Current problems

Goal 5, Farmland Protection

Additions to Efficiency, Substitution, Redesign

Instruments

New section on why instruments in Canada are often poorly designed

January 2020 site updates

Goal 5, Protecting genetic resources

More detailed outline for the section

Goal 5, Sustainable fisheries management

Additions to Substitution and Redesign

Goal 1, Consumer information

Reconciling this section with Goal 4, Reducing nutrients of concern

Home page

Minor changes to why food policy is important

Under Goal 2, Demand Supply Coordination

Updates to Substitution, Designing and implementing a sustainable diet

Under Goal 1, Economic Development

Created a draft outline for the change area

Under Goal 4, Reducing consumption of nutrients of concern

New content for Efficiency and Substitution sections

December 2019 site updates

Under Goal 7, Structures and processes of regulatory pluralism

Minor updates to all sections

Under Goal 5, Sustainable Food, Substitution

Updated section on food in carbon pricing

Under Goal 4, Food safety regimes for local and sustainable production

New content for the Introduction and Challenges

Under Get Started, Changes to Conceptual Images

Reference an IPES-Food report with many helpful graphics

Under Goal 1, Consumer Information Systems

Updates to many sections based on changes implemented in 2019 by the federal government

Under Instruments, Taxes

Additions to all categories of taxes

Under Goal 4, Reducing consumption of nutrients of concern

Significant changes to all parts of this action area

Under Goal 5, Sustainable Fisheries Management

Extensive additions to Substitution

November 2019 site updates

Instruments, Constitutional Provisions

Updates to federal and municipal authorities

Instruments, Programs

Additions under Program Effectiveness

Under Goal 5, Sustainable Fisheries Management

Extensive additions to Introduction, State of the fishery, Core Issues and Efficiency

October 2019 site updates

Solutions, Introductory observations

Added material on the transition related to how alternative initiatives can progressively influence the dominant system

Home page

New material added that explains the focus on government policy

Under Goal 7, Participation

Added a new change area and outline

Under Instruments, International Agreements

Additions to the discussion about the CETA.

Under Goal 2, Demand - Supply Coordination

Changes to Redesign, related to the pet food industry

Under Actors, Federal Government

Updates to the Fisheries and Oceans Department

Under Goal 5, Sustainable Fisheries Management

Extensive additions to Introduction, State of the fishery, Core Issues and Efficiency

September 2019 site updates

Under Instruments, Legislation, Federal

New Acts related to fisheries management added

Under Goal 3, Food in Public Institutions and Spaces

Draft outline of area created

Under Goal 5, Sustainable Fisheries Management

Draft outline of area created

August 2019 site updates

Under Goal 5, Sustainable food

Minor changes to numerous sections

July 2019 site updates

Under Instruments, Legislation, Federal

Significant changes to existing legislation and new legislation added

Under Goal 3, Food as Health Promotion

Changes to Efficiency, Substitution and Redesign

June 2019 site updates

Under Home Page, Get Started and Policy Actors, Prime Minister

Numerous updates to reflect federal government announcement of pieces of a national food policy

Under Goal 2, Demand Supply Coordination

Under Redesign, additions related to the role of commercial urban agriculture

May 2019 site updates

Under Goal 5, Sustainable Food

Additions to Efficiency, Substitution and Redesign

April 2019 site updates

Under Goal 5, Sustainable Food

Additions to Efficiency and Substitution

March 2019 site updates

Under Policy Actors, Federal Government

Updates to Prime Minister's Office based on 2019 Budget announcements

Under Instruments

Additions to Taxes

Under Goal 5, Sustainable Food

Additions to Substitution

Under Goal 5, Reducing food waste

Additions in multiple locations based on 2019 Budget announcements and a discussion paper from Environment and Climate Change Canada.

February 2019 site updates

Under Goal 3

Additions to Corporate Concentration, Efficiency and Substitution

Under Goal 4

Pesticides, substantial additions to Efficiency and Substitution

Under Goal 5

Additions to Sustainable Food

January 2019 site updates

Under Goal 5

Additions to Sustainable food production and Agricultural Land Protection

Revisions to Reducing food waste based on new data and analysis

December 2018 site updates

Under Goal 5

Additions to Sustainable food production and Agricultural Land Protection

November 2018 site updates

Under Goal 2, Demand Supply Coordination, Efficiency

Added a section on Value Chain Coordination.

Under Goal 3

More changes to Educational processes and Reducing Corporate Concentration

Under Goal 5

Significant additions to Sustainable food production .....

October 2018 site updates:

Under Get Started

Added a section on conceptual images, under construction

Under all Goals

Added a heading for each goal on monitoring and evaluation, under construction

Under Frameworks

Additions to Education and Monitoring frameworks

Services

A new main heading, Services provided, under construction

Under Goal 2

Demand-supply Coordination, updates to Optimal diet sections, Financing the transition,  and improved navigation

Under Goal 3

Significant additions to Educational processes and Reducing Corporate Concentration

September 2018 site updates:

Under Goal 3, Reducing Corporate Concentration

Extensive additions to all sections, revisions still on-going

Under Research Projects

A few additional articles added to Circle Project pages

August 2018 site updates:

Under Research Projects

Extensive additions to the Circle Project pages

June / July 2018 site updates:

Minor editing

May 2018 site updates:

Under Instruments

Significant additions to introduction on the challenges of instrument choice

Under Goal 3

Updates to all sections on research and information dissemination

April 2018 site updates:

New post under News

Additions to Getting Started

New material in Efficiency, Substitution and Redesign under Goal 7

New material in the general introduction to Instruments

Updates to Frameworks, Political Economy

Updates to Goal 10, Free Trade

March 2018 site updates:

Small adjustments to numerous sections to improve coverage and readability.  New contributors added.

February 2018 site updates:

New material added under Goal 3 Service

Although still incomplete, new material has been added under 2 activity areas: Food as health promotion and primary care; and Integrating food into educational processes.

January 2018 site updates:

New material added under Goal 3 Service

Although still incomplete, new material has been added under 2 activity areas: Food as health promotion and primary care; and Integrating food into educational processes.

New material added under Goal 7 Participation

Although still incomplete, new material has been added under Structures.

New material added under Frameworks

To Health, Education and Governance

New material added under Research Projects

Details about the Circle Project have been added to this section.