Toronto Black Food Sovereignty Plan
WHAT IS THE TORONTO BLACK FOOD SOVEREIGNTY PLAN?
​
In October 2021, The City of Toronto announced Canada’s first Black Food Sovereignty Plan for Toronto to address the problem of food insecurity experienced by many Black Torontonians.
​
The Black Food Sovereignty Plan is a community-led Confronting Anti-Black Racism Unit Plan to address chronic food insecurity, anti-Black racism and structural inequity in Toronto's local food system to create immediate and long-term change to improve the health, wellbeing and capacity of Black Torontonians.
This five-year plan is a community-led, municipally-supported initiative, supported by an interdivisional team working toward achieving three primary objectives.
Develop City-supported, Black-led initiatives dedicated to addressing food insecurity issues that disproportionately impact Black communities.
Identify and establish sustained supports and funding for Black-led, Black-serving, and Black-mandated food organizations and Black food sovereignty community infrastructure.
Engage, align, and leverage new and existing City strategies and initiatives to advance systems change and shared goals to realize Black food sovereignty outcomes in neighbourhoods with high Black populations.
Why is Black food sovereignty a priority in Toronto?
36.6%
of Black Canadian children
are food insecure
Over a third of Black Canadian
children are food insecure compared
to 12% of white Canadian children
300,000
Black Torontonian children
are food insecure
More than one-quarter of Black households in Toronto are food insecure, representing about 300,000 children alone
Moving Forward with the Black Food Sovereignty Plan
Developing Governance Structures and Outreach
-
Recruit and launch the Black Food Sovereignty Alliance (Toronto)
Planning with the Community and City Divisions
-
BFST will meet with community and the City of Toronto to assist with the planning and implementation of the BFSP
Reporting to Toronto's African-Canadian Community
-
Host community conversations through our Annual Black Food Sovereignty Conference
A Road Map to Black Food Sovereignty
Embedding an anti-Black racist Approach for Food Systems Change
2022
2023
2024
Improving Local Access to Cultural Foods and Black Food Security
​
Year one will focus on addressing immediate challenge of chronic food insecurity by advancing initiatives that focus on improving food access.
Advancing Equitable Distribution & Access to Infrastructure
​
Year two will focus on the equitable distribution of food assets in neighborhoods, and improve overall access to infrastructure.
Increasing Recognition of Black Food Work and Culture in Toronto
​
Year three will have a focus on spotlighting Black food and culture through campaigns and initiatives to celebrate and recognize Black food culture, art and business.
2025
2026
Establishing and Building Capacity for Knowledge Dissemination
​
Year four will focus on increasing capacity Black-led research and knowledge production on Black food issues, history and culture to advance community education.
Community Owned Assets, Institutions and Black Food Leadership Governance
​
The final year of the plan will aim to deliver community owned and governed assets that serve sustainable Black food leadership and self determination in the food system.