City eyes local food

Toronto is considering making it a policy to serve more local food at its homeless shelters, daycares and seniors homes as part of Mayor David Miller’s green plan. The proposal, to be debated at city hall tomorrow, contains no hard targets, but calls for the city to spend up to $100,000 this year to test food containing more local ingredients and prepared with fewer chemicals. It also says all new food contracts with suppliers must include provisions to increase the amount of local and environmentally sustainable food.

A similar program at the University of Toronto provides for 10 percent “local and sustainable” foods, with 15 percent added to its food budget.

Reliance on long-distance food damages rural economies and, with the huge quantities of fuel consumed and emissions spewed in transportation, contributes to global warming. Consuming local goods is greener and more energy-efficient and a great way to support the local economy. There’s also something to be said for consuming the food that grows in your climate; it may just be what your body needs most.

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