Kitchen as food hub: adaptive food systems governance in the City of Toronto

Abstract

This paper discusses how the Toronto Food Policy Council (TFPC) and Toronto Food Strategy (TFS), as part of the municipal government of Toronto, work to facilitate a number of community food and food systems initiatives. We use the example of community kitchens to illustrate how their work facilitates access to community space around the city and, in the process, supports the creation of food hubs. Outcomes of this discussion are twofold: we identify community kitchens as current and potential food hubs, and speak to their capacity to promote a myriad of community benefits and address some aspects of community food insecurity. As well, by offering an account of the work of the TFPC and TFS in facilitating access to increased kitchen space, we highlight efforts of inter-scalar urban organising and adaptive food systems governance.

Keywords:

• community kitchen
• adaptive governance
• municipal food policy
• Toronto Food Policy Council
• Toronto Food Strategy

Acknowledgements

The authors express their thanks to Lauren Baker for her support throughout the data collection, analysis, and writing stages; to Barbara Emanuel for her contributions to early drafts; to Alison Blay-Palmer and the editors of this themed journal issue for the opportunity to submit this paper and for their comments on early drafts presented at the Canadian Association of Food Studies, Congress Conference 2012; and to the two anonymous reviewers whose thoughtful comments also strengthened this work. Any oversight regarding the content of this paper is the responsibility of the authors.

Notes

Campbell and MacRae (this issue) go further in describing the concept of community of practice and its origins.

Stroink and Nelson (this issue) also work with and develop this concept of renewal in the food system.

The Toronto Food Strategy team has done extensive mapping of the uneven access to health food across the City of Toronto, see website).