Vancouver Food Policy Council
Overview
The Vancouver Food Policy Council (VFPC) was established by Vancouver City Council at the Standing Committee of City Services and Budgets on December 11, 2003. The Terms of Reference were adopted by Council at the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment Meeting on November 15, 2007.
Mandate
The mandate of the VFPC is to support the development of a food system where food is:
- safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate;
- affordable, available and accessible to all; and
- produced, processed, marketed, consumed and waste products reused or managed in a manner that is financially viable, protects the health and dignity of people and has minimum impact on the environment.
Under Section 160 of The Vancouver Charter, all committees of Council shall stand discharged immediately before the first Monday after December 1 in the year of a general local election.
Terms of Reference
The Vancouver Food Policy Council:
- Advises Council on matters which affect the food system;
- Consults with staff and provides staff with information on matters of concern to food system constituents;
- Provides input on, monitors and contributes to City policies, programs and reports that affect the food system;
- Acts as a resource and works collaboratively with City staff on initiatives/projects to enhance the food system;
- Acts as a resource for City staff by leading public involvement processes and public forums on matters related to the food system;
- Works cooperatively with all City of Vancouver Departments, Boards and Commissions whose activities affect the food system;
- Engages in outreach and public awareness activities to communities in Vancouver on matters related to the food system;
- Acts as a conduit for feedback from community groups, organizations, other government bodies, and business on matters related to the food system in Vancouver;
- Supports groups endeavouring to initiate and develop projects to enhance the food system in Vancouver;
- Attends City-sponsored public forums to receive public input on issues of concern to people interested in the food system;
- Produces an annual work plan and budget with specific objectives each year, in consultation with its Council and Staff Liaison, for distribution to Council and CoV Departments, Boards and Commissions for information;
- Submits an annual report including expenditures to Council describing its accomplishments for the past year, including reference to each objective set out in the work plan and any arising issues to which the Committee has responded.
Membership
The VFPC may have up to 21 members. Membership is to consist of the following:
- Fourteen (14) members: two members from each of the following food system areas: a) food production; b) processing; c) access; d) distribution; e) consumption; f) waste management; and g) system-wide.
- Seven (7) seats for members-at-large.
Members are appointed by City Council for a maximum of three years. All terms expire on the date that falls immediately before the first Monday after December 1 in the year of a civic election. A member may serve a maximum of two terms.
The Committee may appoint a reasonable number of sub-committees to assist with its projects. Membership may include persons willing to serve who are not members of the Committee.
Current Committee members
Terms expire December 5, 2011:
- Doug Aason (Access)
- Daryl Arnold (Production)
- Herb Barbolet (System-wide)
- Joanne Bays (Member-at-large)
- Maria Burglehaus (Consumption)
- Carole Christopher (System-wide)
- Janine de la Salle (System-wide)
- Erika Del Carmen Fuchs (Member-at-large)
- Trish Kelly (Distribution)
- Andre LaRiviere (Production)
- Brent Mansfield (Member-at-large)
- Tara McDonald (Distribution)
- Ross Moster (Member-at-large)
- Jeff Nield (Member-at-large)
- Cale Price (Waste Management)
- Joyce Rock (Access)
- Carla Shore (Member-at-large)
- Yona Sipos (Member-at-large)
- Helen Spiegelman (Member-at-large)
- David Tracey (Consumption)
- T'Uy'Tanat-Cease Wyss (Member-at-large)
Council Liaison: Councillor Heather Deal
Park Board Liaison: Commissioner Aaron Jasper
School Board Liaison: Trustee Rob Wynen
Staff Liaisons: Mary Clare Zak, Social Policy
James O'Neill, Social Policy
Reappointment
Members may be re-appointed.
Meeting Frequency
The Committee is required to meet at least four times per year on a quarterly basis to a maximum of ten times per year.
Currently, the Committee meets on the second Wednesday of each month, except August, at 6:00 pm in Strathcona Room, subground, City Hall.
Time Commitment
Committee meetings last approximately three hours. A minimum of two additional hours a month is spent mainly on e-mail and other correspondence, meetings, report writing, and inspection rides. Preparation time for all meetings is required.
Subcommittees
Additional information about the Food Policy Council is available on its website.
Attendance Requirement
Members may miss no more than four consecutive meetings without obtaining Leave of Absence from the Committee. Membership will be terminated following the fourth such absence.
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Minutes and Agendas
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