Growing foods from around the world in Ontario soil

Ontario is kicking-off Local Food Week by engaging consumers, farmers and agri-food processors to find ways to make locally-grown foods as diverse as the people who call this province home.

Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Jeff Leal was at Heydon Park Secondary School in Toronto to launch consultations for Bring Home the World, Ontario's strategy to help bring more locally-grown and processed world foods to markets, grocery stores and dinner tables across the province.

Ontario is the most culturally diverse province in Canada, and farmers and agri-food manufacturers there are already growing and producing many world foods, such as bok choy, napa cabbage, Chinese broccoli and goat meat. This strategy will increase access to an even wider variety of Ontario-grown and made produce, meats and food products from other cultures and places around the world to better meet the needs of families and communities across the province.

Minister Leal also held the first consultation session, where participants shared their ideas on how the province can help diversify the foods grown and produced in Ontario. People can share their input into the strategy by:

Taking the world foods survey at Ontario.ca/worldfoods
Reading the Bring Home the World discussion paper and submitting your comments via e-mail.
Watching and sharing the Bring Home the World video

“Ontario has the most culturally diverse population in Canada – we have roots in more than 200 countries around the world and grow more than 200 diverse foods right here in Ontario. I encourage everyone to get involved and share your views on what World Foods means to you. Together, we will Bring Home the World and grow Ontario’s booming agri-food sector in a way that meet the needs of a growing and diverse population”, said Jeff Leal, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

“Thanks to the terrific support from the Government of Ontario, the Greenbelt Fund grant program is able to help farmers, businesses and not-for-profits successfully increase the amount of Ontario food purchased and enjoyed across the province - including more delicious world crops”, Burkhard Mausberg, CEO of the Greenbelt Fund, added.