Guelph MP Lloyd Longfield hosts food security town hall

The issue of food security in Guelph and throughout Canada will be the topic of discussion at a town hall hosted by Guelph MP Lloyd Longfield Monday night.

A recent study on Canada’s food policy showed Canadians of certain income levels were facing difficulties accessing food that was both affordable and nutritious.

The Guelph Food Bank has said that demand has increased over the last several years.

“Guelph has always been known as the place to go when you need to know something about food or agriculture,” Longfield said in an interview before the town hall.

Longfield said the discussion will focus on possible changes to Canada’s food policy at the meeting with several experts, including Brady Deaton, who is a professor at the University of Guelph’s department of food, agricultural and resource economics.

A representative from Loblaws will also be in attendance.

Longfield hopes to take recommendations to Ottawa and create strategies to tackle food insecurity in Canada.

“What we get from Guelph, hopefully, hits at the right time when we’re starting to implement some of the recommendations from our food policy discussion,” he said.

The Food Security Town Hall meeting will be held at the Italian Canadian Club on Monday at 6:30 p.m.

— With files from Phi Doan