Ontario’s Local Food Week is from June 6 to 12 in 2016 - celebrate the delicious local Ontario food and beverages!
Ontario’s food system is huge; it generates more than $15 billion in GDP and employs more than 214,000 people. Of this, $2.65 billion GDP is generated by farming in the Golden Horseshoe and the Greenbelt.
While farms in the Greenbelt are on average smaller, they produce 23% more Gross Domestic Revenue than the average Ontario farm. Did you know, the benefits of farming in the Greenbelt include natural and locational advantages such as access to key processing industries, highly productive soil types and climate, and proximity to Ontario’s largest and growing market?
This year, let’s celebrate this large local food system that produces the food we enjoy every day by supporting our local food producers!
See our tips for celebrating Ontario’s Local Food Week in 2016: Buy Local Food | Learn About Local Food | Attend Local Events
Buy Local Food
1. Go to a local farmers’ market - find the closest farmers’ market to you here.
Monday June 6th: Sorauren Farmers’ Market in Toronto
Tuesday June 7th: Trinity Bellwoods Farmers’ Market in Toronto and St. Catharines Farmers’ Market
Wednesday June 8th: Whitby Farmers’ Market, Hillcrest Mall Farmers’ Market in Richmond Hill, and Ancaster Farmers’ Market
Thursday June 9th: Grimsby Farmers’ Market, Acton Farmers’ Market and Toronto Botanical Garden Organic Farmers’ Market
Friday June 10th: Wiarton Farmers’ Market and Burlington Farmers’ Market
Saturday June 11th: North Oshawa Farmers’ Market, Owen Sound Farmers’ Market, Georgetown Farmers’ Market, and Welland Farmers’ Market
Sunday June 12th: Uxbridge Farmers’ Market, and Leslieville Farmers’ Market
2. Take your family to visit a local farm to buy fresh local products.
Find the closest farm to your home here (double check that the farm is open).
3. Visit a restaurant that uses local fruits and vegetables to produce it’s meals!
Use Ontario Cullinary Tourism Allince’s list to find the closest certified Feast ON restaurant.
Learn More About Local Food
1. Take a virtual farm tour to learn more about how your food is produced in Ontario!
From egg farms, fruit production to chicken farms, there’s plenty of opportunity to learn how your food is produced.
2. Stay up to date with Greenbelt local food research.
Did you know that farmers’ market vendors are reporting increase in revenues coming from market sales? Find out more here.
Did you know that over 50% of imported food products can be produced in Ontario? Find out different ways Ontario can increase the supply of local food, create jobs and support healthier lifestyles.
To learn more about agriculture in the Greenbelt check out our latest agricultural study.
3. Incorporate more in-season local food in your everyday meals.
Read our Spring in-season guide to get tips on how to incorporate more in-season local food in your day to day life, with information on what is in-season now.
Attend Local Events
May 27 to June 4: Celebrate Ontario Craft Cider Week! Read our blog post to find out how to take advantage of this week.
May 28: Take part in the Hamilton Farm Crawl - Guided tour of farms in Hamilton.
June 4 to 5: Graze the Bench in Lincoln - Sample VQA wineries, enjoy local food, and listen to music.
June 12: Attend the Saints & Sinners: Taste of the Trail in Owen Sound - Taste beer, wine and cider samples and great local food.
June 10 to 19: Celebrate Ontario Craft Beer Week! Find out what’s in store here.
– Andreea Nicoara
