Category: Uncategorized

Join us on Sept 26 and learn about the steps involved in starting a community garden. How to search for land, what is essential when starting a community garden, the supports that are available, tips for organizing the garden, and much more!

The attendance of at least one garden coordinator at a How to Start a Community Garden workshop is a requirement in order to receive funding through the Community Garden Development Fund.  The coordinator must have attended a workshop in one of the past 3 years.

Registration is required as space is limited.
When: Thursday, September 26, 2019 from 6:00pm-8:00pm
Where: Just Food Farm in the Big Red Barn | 2391 Pépin Court
RSVP: Email communitygardening@justfood.ca

on RSVP please identify the general area where you plan to set up a community garden, and summarize your work to date, if applicable.

English Garden Guide

Le guide de jardinier

Due Sunday June 30 2019

Suggested responses are below that can be cut and pasted for the Official Plan consultation (or adapt/add your own message).

Link to Consultation:

https://s-ca.chkmkt.com/?e=150093&h=0721618C93C4ACB&l=en

Suggested Input for Each Question on Link above: 

Are there any elements that are important to you that are not listed above?

At a neighbourhood level, elements that are priorities to me, in addition to the above clear priorities on housing and transportation for everyone, include: 

• urban, suburban and rural neighbourhoods/villages maintaining services that reduce the need to commute or travel for basic, daily household needs 
• accessible social spaces that are maintained for me to meet with my neighbours to engage in community leadership, planning and activity 
• places near to my home for me to grow my own food (including on municipal lands) and to access locally-grown whole food 
• bioregional plants and biodiversity as priorities for all lands under municipal care, not just mature trees, with an emphasis on building an edible landscape throughout the city.

Is there an important issue that is not listed above?

Not jobs – but rather purposeful work:  Focus on training, supports and models that invest in the community, including social enterprise, apprenticeship and incubation models, for people with barriers to employment, including youth and New Canadians, towards longer-term employment or entrepreneurship within a regional orientation to economic development.

The intersectionality of these issues must be at the core of the new Official Plan.  Without limiting the suburban expansion in Ottawa through intensification, farmland and natural spaces will be developed, which impacts rural economic development, food security, sustainable environment, and quality of life for all, etc.  Without creating a more inclusive Ottawa, access to employment, housing and transportation is not attainable by significant numbers of our neighbours.     

What would make the city better for you?

Shifting the overall policy lens to sound investment in preventive, proactive approaches, and away from the current ever-increasing investment into expensive band-aid responses.  With proper preventive investment in our social and community infrastructure and natural environment, we can avoid the inevitable social and personal fallout that comes from placing a priority on funding reactive cures.

A significant increase in affordable housing, with a priority along current and future transit routes, in both urban and rural neighbourhoods/villages, with attendant mid-sized, managed intensification that ensures no more farmland or natural spaces within the City of Ottawa boundaries are developed for housing or industry.  Housing, food security and urban/rural economic development have to be planned and supported together so that one does not undermine the other.  Having reached a million residents and growing, Ottawa has the critical mass to support a much more vibrant local economy that will reinforce the region’s quality of life and economic resiliency.

Do you have an idea for a dream project that would set Ottawa apart from other cities?

We have incredible, innovative talent in Ottawa, across residents, communities, businesses, organizations and government.  We can choose to use our municipal resources in Ottawa to ensure that EVERY resident:

– has good housing, good food, good work

– moves effectively throughout the urban, suburban and rural parts of the city and beyond 

– is included in a diverse, local economy based in the arts, food and farming, service industry, health, technology, energy, manufacturing and processing, etc. and that respects, operates within the limits of, and enhances the local environment.

– can access effective, affordable required health, social and community support from birth to death

– lives feeling part of safe, inclusive neighbourhoods/villages. 

Investment into this clear and shared mission must be set as the number one priority by Council as a whole, with permanent and significant increases in the City’s budget for social and community infrastructure to carry this out.    

Question on which papers you are addressing:

Don’t worry about checking any boxes.

What are the key takeaways that stand out to you in this paper?

A broader group of community, social, environment and economic stakeholders across Ottawa are continuing to develop the principles listed above and will provide further, detailed consensus re. strategic priorities this summer to feed into the presentation August 22^nd at Planning.  

How do you think the City should address these issues?

The City needs to give more time for community stakeholders to influence details of what is being proposed as Strategic Directions than over the summer.  Ottawa agencies, businesses and residents do want to participate in, and need to be part of, setting the agenda.

We need the City to allow for sufficient time allowances and opportunities for community leadership to build out these solutions and present directly to policy decision-makers at City Hall.

We need more information sent out to community agencies, networks and residents on a regular basis about opportunities for input.

Any other thoughts on this topic?

Investment in community and social infrastructure must increase significantly.  

We can and must do better in Ottawa than continued focus of investment primarily into export-based economic development and physical infrastructure.

Thank you for the opportunity to engage.

Agri-Tourism Animator

Instructions:
Please send your resumé and cover letter within one attached document to info@justfood.ca by May 29^that 5:00 pm.
– Resumés will be reviewed as they come in and we will schedule interviews and hire as soon as we have a successful candidate.
– Your email must have the subject line “Summer Student Hiring” for it to be considered.
– 3 references must be provided on request

Eligibility:
This is a part-time position. Applicants must be currently enrolled in a secondary, or postsecondary institution or within six months of graduation and have reached the age of 15 and not yet reached the age of 25 upon commencement of employment.  Applicants must be residing in Ontario for the duration of employment.

This position is part of the Government of Ontario’s 2018 Summer Experience Program.  This position is co-sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Sport and the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services

Responsibilities:

• Work with our partners including farmers, breweries, wineries, community gardens, and local museums, to develop and coordinate rural tour experiences for tourists and Ottawa residents alike.
• Create promotional material for tours and implement promotional strategy.
• Set up payment portals for each tour, handle RSVPs from the public and specific requests, such as food preferences.
• Coordinate tour destinations and work out agreements with hosts.
• Coordinate logistics – including routes, timing, supplies, translation etc. for tours.
• Invoice and track expenditures.
• Participate in day-to-day processes and procedures at our office, including staff meetings, larger events, site tours, and more.

Qualifications:

• Keen interest in, commitment to, and some knowledge of food/farming systems and community-based initiatives.
• Ability to work independently in an office environment
• Strong organizational skills and ability to multi-task
• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to balance taking initiative with strong team communication skills
• Event planning and implementation
• Project coordination and time management
• Project level financial tracking
• Decision-making, problem solving and negotiation
• Excellent writing in English – with particular emphasis on agreements, and speaking notes for tours
• Social media (Facebook, blogging, Twitter)
• Comfortable and confident in speaking with members of the public and initiative stakeholders in both official language
• Some evening and weekend work will be a requirement to fulfill this position’s duties
• Billingualism will be strongly considered
• Asset – Some ability to use WordPress.

Please relate your personal skills and experience to what we’re looking for above.

Any student in Social Sciences, Hospitality and Tourism, and Communications that in the future intends to be working on projects in either the non-profit, public or private sector will be gaining long-term practical skill development to serve them well in their future careers. Working well with others and working through problems are essential for these sectors.

This part-time position will begin the week of June 2 and work for 217.5 hours (2-3 days per week) until the week of August 31 2018.

When: June 13 7:00 – 9:00
Where:  Plant Recreation Centre, 930 Somerset Street West
Cost: $10.00 or pay what you can

This workshop will help the organic gardener manage those pesky pests that tend to take up so much our summer!  Some of this workshop instructs on removing pests from the garden, but it is primarily concerned with proactive decisions in the garden’s early stages. Learn to encourage more beneficial insects to your garden & plant in ways that prevent pest & disease issues.