It’s time to get food and farming issues on the elections agenda. This list of questions will help you to encourage candidates to make a healthy, equitable, and environmentally sustainable food system a top priority!

We also hope that these questions will inspire you to think of some food and farming issues that are important to you during this election. We encourage you to post your own questions in the space we’ve provided below.

How to use these questions:

1. Write a letter, send an email, call, or make an appointment to meet with your candidate in person.
2. Question your candidate when they coming knocking on your door.
3. Ask your candidate questions during public debates.

Other things to keep in mind:

1. Keep questions short and to the point.
2. Stick to a few key issues.
3. Add a personal touch outlining your own experiences or concerns.

Questions for Candidates…

ON Economy:

1. The Ontario government buys 115 million meals per year for its hospitals and long-term care facilities. Since government-run facilities are in large part not required to buy their food locally, millions of dollars of taxpayer money goes elsewhere instead of back into Ontario farm and food industries. What will you do to make sure that government-run facilities (e.g., schools, hospitals, long-term care) are buying from Ontario farmers and processors?
2. Ontario is home to 3,500 food processors that contribute more than $32.5 billion to the economy and employ almost 120,000 people. However, more and more food processing businesses are going out of business, putting a strain on farmers and on the local food industry. How will you help to support food processing plants in Ontario (e.g., small and mid-scale meat processors, canning plants, etc.)?

ON Health:

1. Diet-related diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer cost Ontarians upwards of $657 million in healthcare spending a year. Research shows that many of these diet-related diseases would decrease drastically (saving Ontarians and the economy hundreds of millions) if people were to eat diets that are higher in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. How will you act to promote healthy eating in Ontario?

ON the Environment:

1. Sustainably-managed agricultural lands provide many functions that are vital to a healthy Ontario, such as sequestering carbon, cleaning air and water, providing habitats for wildlife and bees, and limiting soil erosion. Currently there are few financial incentives that encourage environmentally sustainable farming, which means we risk degrading the quality of our environment for future generations. How do you propose to support a shift towards more sustainable farming in a way that does not financially penalize farmers?
2. Much of Canada’s best farmland is in Ontario. However, since 1921, Ontario has lost thousands of acres (42%) of productive farmland to developers. How do you plan to protect farmland?
3. The proposed 8,000-foot limestone quarry in Melancthon Township (dubbed the Mega Quarry) has been criticized by many groups for the effects it will have on the surrounding farmland, natural habitats, and water supply. Do you support the building/construction of this quarry? Why or why not?
4. Green Energy projects such as wind turbines and biogas digesters are important ways for farmers to produce clean energy and lessen their impact on the environment. What will you do to support clean energy projects on farms?

ON Kids:

1. Rates of obesity and other diet-related illnesses are on the rise in Ontario, and this is largely a result of poor food choices. Study after study shows that school breakfast programs, salad bar option, school gardens, and food education have amazing effects on encouraging children to develop good eating habits and help them perform better in school. What plans do you get healthy food into schools and the curriculum?

ON Community:

1. About 402,000 Ontarians rely on food banks every month, and the cost of healthy food is often too expensive for low-income families. Not only are more people relying on food banks to meet their basic food needs, but many Ontarians lack the skills and knowledge to feed their families a healthy and balanced diet. What will you do to support community food programs such as gardens and kitchens?
2. A reality for many Ontarians is that buying healthy, local, and sustainably grown food is outside of their budget. For people on social assistance, for example, the purchasing power of social assistance benefits is now 60% of what it was 15 years ago. As a result, social assistance rates fall far short of what is needed to purchase healthy food for a healthy life. How would your government act to ensure that all Ontarians can afford the cost of healthy food, particularly those living on minimum wage and social assistance? Would your government use cost of living indices– e.g. Nutritious Food Basket pricing and housing cost indices to ensure that rates take into account actual prices and that they offer adequate income to purchase basic healthy food?

ON Farmers:

1. The average Ontario farmers is making about the same amount of money as farmers during the Great Depression. For this reason, in 2006 there were 10,309 fewer farmers than only 10 years before. What steps will you take to make sure that farmers can stay in business?
2. The average age of Canadian farmers is 53 and about 75% are expected to retire within the next 10 years. Since farmers are making less money and because farmland and farming equipment is very expensive for potential new farmers, it is unclear who will replace existing farmers. How will you act to train and support the next generation of farmers?

Questions for candidates (pdf)