441-00692 Food and drink
Gord Johns
Farmers' Market Nutrition Coupon Program,Farmers markets,Food and drink,Food supply
Petition to the Government of Canada:
  
    WHEREAS:
    
      
        Farmers Markets are a key tool for covid-19 recovery as small business incubators, domestics system and food security builders, and local economy community builders and Farmers' Market Coupon Programs are a key support for new Market development and support for existing Markets and their provincial Associations;
      
    
    
      
        Farmers' Market Nutrition Coupon Programs help create food security and resiliency by giving vulnerable people access to healthy locally grown foods and dietary education while positively impacting the physical and mental health of participants by increasing the amount and diversity of fruits and vegetables they consume;
      
    
    
      
        The BC Farmers' Market Association with 135 member markets and 4000+ vendors and it's long-term partnership with the province of BC provides an excellent model for Farmers' Market Nutrition Coupon Programs; providing almost 16000 vulnerable families, seniors and pregnant women with access to weekly coupons, and seeing 1,909,000 to local farmers. Their current program has an average coupon redemption rate of over 91% and 79% of those participants claim the program made a long term change in their eating habits; and
      
    
    
      
        A national matching program would assist in meeting those demands, encourage provinces without a provincial program to create one, and support those provinces who have a provincial program to expand to meet demand.
      
    
    Therefore, we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Motion M-78 and initiate a national matching program for all provincial Farmers' Markets Nutrition Coupon Programs across Canada that would match provinces who are already contributing to their Farmers' Market Nutrition Coupon Program and encourage Provinces that do not have such a program to implement one by offering matching funding