More Fresh, Local Ontario Food Coming to a Cafeteria Near You

Greenbelt Fund Leads the Way for Local Food, Continues Grant Program

TORONTO, April 5, 2013 /CNW/ - More fresh, local Ontario food is coming to cafeterias and food-service kitchens across the province.

With support from the Ontario government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Greenbelt Fund is calling for new applications to the broader public sector (BPS) grant program to support increased amounts of local food served in hospitals, schools and other broader public sector institutions.

This renewed grant program has supported a $26 million increase in the amount of Ontario foods purchased by the BPS: every one dollar invested by the province has supported the purchase of five dollars' worth of Ontario local food.

"The Greenbelt Fund is leading the way in changing how Ontario's public institutions think about food," said Burkhard Mausberg, CEO of the Greenbelt Fund.  "With the continued support of the new Ontario government, we are significantly increasing the amount of local food available for students, residents and patients and supporting Ontario's vibrant agri-food industry."

"This funding is a part of the Ontario government's ongoing commitment to support local food. Together, we are helping to connect local farmers and food suppliers with public institutions and making it easier for them to buy local," said Kathleen Wynne, Premier and Minister of Agriculture and Food. "When we work together to promote local food, we support Ontario farmers, our family and the economy."

Grant details and funding applications can be found here.

About the Greenbelt Fund:
The Greenbelt Fund is a sister organization of the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation. With an investment of $5 million in new funding from the Ontario government, the fund is helping to increase the amount of local Ontario food served in daycares, schools, universities and colleges, hospitals and long-term care homes.

The fund provides grants to local food industry leaders, producers, distributors, food processors, food service providers and public institutions working to serve more of the good things that grow in Ontario. Helping to overcome challenges, support economic growth and the sustainability of agriculture in Ontario, the Fund's goal is to help create systemic change to permanently increase the amount of local food in the province's public institutions.  For more information about the program and grants, please visit Ontariofresh.ca.  For more information on local food, please visit foodlandontario.ca

SOURCE: Greenbelt Fund

Sarah Petrevan
Communications Director
416-960-0001 ext. 337
[email protected]