Planning tools for improving food access : lessons for Ontario's Municipal Planners

Until recently, the scope of practice for urban planners has not included issues related to the food system. However, as a result of increased pressure at global and local levels to address the failures of the current food system, municipal planners are being urged to rethink their relationship with the food system. This paper will focus on the role municipal planners can play in the provision of healthy food in urban environments. A variety of planning tools – including general plans and zoning by-laws – have been used in innovative ways to address the growing disparities in urban food access. However, most of these examples are found in the United States. Drawing from these examples, this paper demonstrates how these tools can be used within Ontario’s planning context to address urban food accessibility.