In response to the COVID 19 pandemic,  Our Food Future laid the groundwork to support the community and municipality to meet local food policy challenges and play a more proactive role in developing a sustainable, resilient and equitable food system.

A small group of local food system champions worked alongside Our Food Future to create the Food System Resiliency Table (The Table), a unique regional food policy and programming working group.  The Table is a place where community leaders work together to:

• Learn lessons from the pandemic and resist the attempt to return to business as usual;
• Continue with building and supporting a food system transformation that builds resilience at all levels;
• Ensure that diverse groups of people are leading from their lived experience and active in building a resilient food system for all; and to
• Support the transition to a circular food economy that is designed with equity, prosperity and sustainability at the core.

Since January 2021, the Table has built strong relationships with over twenty active participants.  Members represent a diversity of lived experiences and rich connections throughout the regional food system.  A key project of the Table has been the revival of the 2011 Guelph-Wellington Food Charter and Toolkit.  This important document brought together over 150 stakeholders to rally around a shared vision for a better food system. In 2021, The Table worked with students from the Arrell Food Institute and over 140 stakeholders to modernize the language of the Charter aligning it with our local vision of circularity. The newly released Charter for Food Justice will be officially launched in fall of 2023.

The Table continues to work to define the governance, operations and working relationship with both City and County councils as it moves out of the Our Food Future office and wholly into the community.  Emergent actions 2023 will include continued policy work, advocacy and community engagement. Public Meetings

The Table will connect diverse stakeholders from the food, farming, and community to make a better food system for all of us.  Since officially launching in late 2021, the public working group has been meeting internally to build relationships and set the priorities for the next two years.

Open meetings are held 4 times a year.  The theme for the meeting will be shared via social media the month before.  Watch for the link to sign up.  All are welcome and we aim to provide a light meal and bus tickets.

If you are interested in becoming a member or learning more about The Table, email [email protected].