Healthy OAS ASIS Com Community F y Food ood H Hub Food + People + Planet
Food Production and Land Regeneration Education, Bulk Food We want Training, and Buying: healthy food by Information Procurement and for community that is resilient to climate change Composting: Community Waste Kitchen: Management Processing stjamestowncoop.org oasisfoodhub.ca
OASIS Project Objectives Improve Health and Food Security Year-round access to affordable, nutritious, local, and fair and/or direct trade food. Create Sustainable Jobs and Social Enterprise Opportunities Work in food production, green technology, community development, management, education, and more! Provide Accredited and Community Education Programs Cultivate community-based, climate resilient food security strategies. Reduce Impact on Environment Sustainable systems and technologies for food production and distribution.
How This P Project Came To Be OASIS is the In 2015 ...and formed core project of The Cafe the Community incorporates as the Co-op In 2006 Cafe in 2011, a Community Residents call incubated by for healthy and Co-operative LIFT accessible food In 1991 and water in a Low Income neighbourhood Families human rights Together forms study in St. James Town to advocate for human rights
The Model: OASIS Food Hub Run By The St. James Town Community Co-op
St. James Town Café and Co-op Since 2011, we’ve received inv nvestment from: • City Hope • Tower Renewal • Toronto Community Foundation • Foodshare • World Vision • Yonge street Mission • 736 Outreach Fund • Center for Social Innovation • TCHC Social Investment Fund • Healthier Cities Hub – Dalla Lana School of Public Health • City of Toronto Totaling over $300,000.00 stjamestowncoop.org oasisfoodhub.ca
Neighbourhood Profile High Density •Estimated population over 20,000 High Diversity •Over 140 languages spoken from 100+ counties High Newcomer Population •Over 65% of residents are immigrant High Employment Levels and Skill Levels •Severe Underemployment due to foreign qualification policies Low-Income •Median Household Income is $35,000 Lack of Community Cohesion •Residents Ready To Help Each Other But Lack Time & Public Space Lack of Green Space •Limited Park and Green Space Access In the Neighbourhood Abundance of Unused Below-Grade Space •Underground garages, gymnasiums, squash courts, swimming pools, community rooms Lack of Recycling & Green Waste Management •Low Awareness of Recycling, High Rise Towers Lacking Green Bins
OASIS Policy Alignment: When the food system is impacted by extreme weather events, those who are already food insecure are disproportionately effected. SOURCE: K. Zeuli, A. Nijhuis, and Z. Gerson-Nieder, “RESILIENT FOOD SYSTEMS, RESILIENT CITIES: A High-Level Vulnerability Assessment of Toronto’s Food System,” Toronto Public Health & Initiative for a Competitive Inner City, Jul. 2018 [Online]. Available: https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2018/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-118076.pdf STJAMESTOWNCOOP.ORG OASISFOODHUB.CA
Policy Alignments: Toronto Food Strategy
Policy Alignments: GrowTO Urban Agriculture Milan Food Pact Plan For Toronto 1. Governance: 2. Health: 3. Social and SIX PRIORITIES FOR 1. LINK GROWERS 2. STRENGTHEN 3. INCREASE Ensuring and Economic Sustainable TORONTO’S TO LAND AND EDUCATION AND VISIBILITY AND Enabling Equity URBAN FOOD SPACE TRAINING PROMOTION Diets and SYSTEM: Environment For Nutrition Effective Action 4. ADD VALUE TO 5. CULTIVATE 6. DEVELOP 4. Food 5. Food URBAN GARDENS RELATIONSHIPS SUPPORTIVE Production, System Waste POLICIES Supply, and Distribution
Policy cy Alignment: t: 2030 17 2030 17 Sus ustai ainable De Development Goal als Ending Poverty 6 Affordable Clean Energy 1 2 Zero Hunger 7 Reduce Inequalities Sustainable Cities 3 8 Health and Wellbeing Responsible Production 4 9 Clean Water & Consumption 10 Climate Action Industry Innovation 5
City Funded Buy-In from, Feasibility Financing and Needs Viability Assessment of Community Study: Findings Stakeholder Technical and Political Feasibility Support April 2018- Possibility and 2019 Suitability of Location(s)
Community Buy-In and Needs: Food Survey (N = 193, 145 complete) WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR FOOD TO BE GROWN IN ST. JAMES TOWN AND TRUSTED LOCAL FARMS? I don't know - 8% No - 9% Maybe -11% Yes - 72%
Community Buy-In and Needs: Food Survey (N = 193, 145 complete)
Resident Identified Important Qualities: High Quality Food Managed by Residents Commitment to Regenerating the Land Food Systems Approach Employment Community Resilience To Emergencies and Climate Change
Recommendations The community is ready for OASIS, but needs to see significant stable investment: #1 Increase Community Capacity by Training 10 Residents to Launch & Run OASIS Food Hub #2 Community Kitchen and Processing Space needs to be located and confirmed. #3 Residents need more support-time and space to develop onsite food security and disaster response capacity
Trinity Life New Commons Partnership Cabbagetown St. Simon's Youth Center Church Support System In St. Wellesley Community James Community Matters Center Town Trustee: St. James WaterFarmers FoodShare Town Co-op National Farmers Union In + Food Beyond Organizations Study Darker Blue: Formal Education: partnership Local Food Conscious and Farm Minds Co- Co-ops operative Lighter Blue = Trustee: Scadding Court Black NKG supportive, no formal Community Farmers Center partnership agreement Collective
•Bulk Food Buying OASIS Club • Office •Space and • Kitchen and Timeline & Investment Secured Storage •Community Garden • Shipping Container Investment: Phase 1 * In Progress: Short Term: No Low Investment Investment Phase 2 Phase 3 Medium Long Term: Term: •Below Grade High •Compost processing Medium Investment •Aquaponics and mushrooms Investment •Emergency Food Supply • Aquaponics and •At or Above Grade Mushroom Farming •Retail Store •Office + Programming Space • Below-Grade
Summary of Flexible Phasing Phase 3 Phase 2 Phase 1 Rooftop Production and Indoor Food Production Community Food Hub Organics Composting • Rooftop Greenhouse Production Office and Meeting Space Indoor Growing Below-Grade • • • Rainwater Collection/Filtration • Distribution Area/Retail • Aquaponics • Organics Composting and Soil • Bulk Storage of Dry-Goods • Mushrooms Distribution and Root Vegetables • Basement and Sub-Basement • Permanent Retail, Office, • Commercial Kitchen and Programming Space
OASIS Space: Feasibility Study Findings • Cabbagetown Youth Center & St. Simon’s Church: Food Buying Club In Progress • Community Garden at 56 Rose Ave • Trinity Life New Commons: Meeting and Event Space • Above-grade Shipping Container - Temporary Phase 1: • Top Location: City Land Short-Term / • 2nd Top: W.P.S. Temporary Phase 2: •Below-grade Medium •Top Location: 325 Bleeker Term 1)Phase 3: • Above & Below Grade Long-Term • Top location: Wellesley-Parliament Square
Site Selection Matrix
Business Case Findings Components Participant Cost Employment Best to start with At least 12,000 Can employ at Phase 1 and 2 participants over least 34 people simultaneously 10 years Total Investment $170.83 -$275.83 per participant
Key Recommendations for Collaboration: Ensuring and Enabling Environment For Effective Action #1 COLLABORATION ACROSS #2 A WORKING GROUP OF RELEVANT #3 OASIS AND FARMER NETWORKS CONTINUED DIALOGUE GOVERNMENT GOVERNMENT BODIES SHOULD BE AGENCIES/DEPARTMENTS AND CREATED TO FACILITATE THE POLITICAL STAFF OPERATIONALIZATION OF OASIS
Key Recommendations for Location: Ensuring and Enabling Environment For Effective Action #1 TEMPORARY SHIPPING CONTAINER NEEDED #2 FORMAL AGREEMENT #3 CITY PLANNING SHOULD FACILITATE WHILE PERMANENT SPACE IS RETROFITTED AND / BETWEEN TORONTO FURTHER DIALOGUE BETWEEN OR BUILT COMMUNITY HOUSING AND WELLESLEY-PARLIAMENT SQUARE AND THE OASIS FOOD HUB IS SJTCC NEEDED FOR SPECIFIC SITE ANALYSIS
Questions & Dialogue What Needs To How to Secure How Best to Enable Happen Following Commitments? Operationalization? Today?
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