Working Together to Put Food Security on the Election Agenda

Addressing food insecurity takes more than the work of any one organization or City staff/Council alone. It requires collaboration, shared knowledge and experience, and collective action to address the broader challenges that affect people’s ability to access affordable, nutritious, and culturally relevant food.

That spirit of collaboration is at the heart of the Ottawa Community Food Partnership (OCFP), where partners are working together to develop elections resources for each partner to bring back to the neighbours we serve, to help bring food security into conversations with voters, candidates, decision-makers, and communities across Ottawa

By bringing together organizations working across different parts of the community food sector, OCFP partners contribute a range of experiences and perspectives to the development of these materials. Our collective knowledge helps identify shared priorities, connect the day-to-day realities of frontline food programs with broader policy discussions, and highlight the importance of addressing the root causes of food insecurity - plus the needed shift away from charitable food models.

The elections resources are intended to help make these conversations more accessible and support coordinated engagement around food security.

This work also reflects OCFP’s broader commitment to moving beyond a fragmented, emergency-focused approach to food access. While community food programs remain essential, lasting progress requires attention to the interconnected issues that shape food security, including poverty, income, housing, and access to affordable food.

Developing these resources together is one way OCFP partners are working to strengthen a collective voice for food security in Ottawa. By pooling our expertise and building on shared priorities, partners can support more informed conversations and encourage decision-makers to consider the broader changes needed to help build a food secure city.

The elections resources are now available on the OCFP Elections Resources page. Community organizations, partners, and residents are encouraged to explore the materials and use them to help keep food security part of the conversation during election periods.

Through collaboration and collective action, OCFP partners are helping connect community knowledge with broader conversations about the future of food security in Ottawa.

Make your plans to vote - and tell a friend!