A food policy report is on the menu after its approval late last night at city council.
Aldermen Joe Ceci and Bob Hawkesworth brought forth the notice of motion for city administration to identify how the city can play a role in the cultivation of a local food system.
Ceci and Hawkesworth cited the long range sustainability of Calgary’s food source and how the city and its community partners can take an active role in building and delivering a stable and predictable food source, others on council weren’t as convinced.
Ward 12 Ald. Ric McIver amended the main motion to limit the City of Calgary’s role in developing the food policy and how it takes shape in the city, echoing the same sentiment as other aldermen, that food and food production is a provincial and federal jurisdiction.
Other alderman, including Ward 6 Ald. Joe Connelly, questioned the validity of pursuing local food sources in an area with such a short growing season.
“There’s a reason they don’t grow bananas in Airdrie,” he quipped.
McIver’s amendment passed, and council passed the amended motion, requiring an administration report back to them no later than June 2010.
