"Sustainability in Our City” Speaker Series: LOCAL FOOD
Musings on Richmond Hill’s Second Meeting focused on Local Food.

Article by Heather Auld with Heather Ann Lowry and Greta Van den Bossche

The City of Richmond Hill and Mayor David West, in partnership with the United Nations University (UNU) Institute of Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), hosted the second Speaker Series on “Sustainability in Our City.” The event was held at the Richmond Hill Centre for Performing Arts on June 19, 2025 under the theme “Planting for Sustainability,” with a focus on local food. A third event is scheduled for October 16, 2025 under the theme, “Celebrating Local Sustainability Success.” This session was recorded and should be accessible through the Mayor’s YouTube channel. One of the ten goals of Richmond Hill’s updated Environmental Strategy is to improve access to local food and support pollinators and their habitat. Local food, as referenced here, can be sourced from farms in the area, household gardens, community garden plots, high-rise balcony containers, or other local options.

Richmond Hill’s Environmental Strategy notes that locally grown food tends to offer healthier and more reliable food choices to its residents, supports pollinators and beneficial insects that control pests, and reduces Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions associated with long-distance transport of food.  As many RHGHS members and numerous studies can attest, gardening can increase our well-being and longevity, enable knowledge-sharing with other gardeners, and helps to build a stronger sense of community.

The panelists for this second meeting in the series provided perspectives on several questions posed online by the public. Many of these questions were general in nature and tied to other sustainability goals beyond local food. The panelists included:

The Mayor noted that he is the first generation in his family to eventually live and earn off-farm. He recalled the farming challenges in Niagara Region of growing “perfect” fruits without blemish or flaws that required the use of a variety of chemical sprays. Given his earlier farm background, Mayor West understands the importance of supporting local farmers, noting that when local farmers sell their products to the surrounding community, the result is improved understanding of farming challenges and support for a more diverse and vibrant community. Discussions followed on potential City measures to support local farmers, including subsidies, lower fees, better outreach, loyalty programs, and procurement support for the City’s services, including schools, hospitals, and businesses.

Dr Rohit Ramchandani commented that 70% of the world’s fresh water is being used for irrigation. Southern Ontario is fortunate in that its past climate generally supplied sufficient rainfall for growing crops compared to other regions of the world, although ongoing warming, lengthening summers along with increased evaporation may add pressures for irrigation. The Oak Ridges Moraine that straddles northern Richmond Hill stores a large volume of groundwater and is an important source of clean water for over 6 million Ontarians.

Richmond Hill is well known in York Region for its success in supporting community garden plots. In particular, the Forster Collective Garden in Phyllis Rawlinson Park offers many community plots. You can see a portion of this community garden in the above photo as taken by City staff.  Plots have modest rental rates, but with an additional requirement for community involvement and support for sustainable and organic gardening practices. This community plot model differs from other traditional allotment garden programs in that each member has their own plot and they also commit to a few hours a month towards the communal areas and work in our Donation Garden, dedicated to growing food for the Richmond Hill Community Food Bank. For further information on the Forster Collective Garden, please read more at this link.   They are also asked to provide a few house helping to maintain common garden areas, including a pollinator garden, herb garden, and native species garden. Members find that working on the donation crops provides a rewarding way to both share their knowledge and to connect meaningfully with others in the community. The community gardens are managed by dedicated volunteers known as the Forster Collective Garden group. Thanks to our members who help with those gardens:  Greta, Dinah, Linda, and others). The plots are fully subscribed this year, with a waitlist in place. For 2026, be sure to request a plot early if you are interested.

Further discussions during the event considered additional options to support community gardening opportunities. For example, smaller “manicured” lawn spaces currently owned and maintained by the City of Richmond Hill might provide greater benefits if used as community gardens. Known for providing gardening, cooking and preserving information, other benefits of The York Region Food Network include acting as a resource for groups in all parts of York Region who are interested in starting up new community gardens.