Food security strategy brought to the table

The Yellowknife Food Charter Coalition is asking the city to support the creation of a local food strategy.

The idea is to promote locally-sourced foods and sustainability, and support Yellowknife businesses, said presenters France Benoit and Tracey Williams. A food strategy would link various food sectors in Yellowknife SA国际影视传媒� from production to distribution to waste SA国际影视传媒� to meet these goals.

Benoit and Williams asked council on Tuesday for between $15,000 and $25,000 out of the 2018 budget, which they would leverage to get additional funds from the territorial and federal governments and non-government organizations.

They also asked council to designate a city staffer who would work, at least part time, with an advisory committee on the strategy.

The effects of a Yellowknife food strategy could ripple outward and work to reduce food insecurity in other Northwest Territories communities, said Benoit.

SA国际影视传媒淔ood is constantly being shipped from Yellowknife to the communities,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚f we get our act together here in Yellowknife, it would do wonders for the rest of the Northwest Territories.SA国际影视传媒�

The city could promote food security by providing lands for food production at a reduced tax rate, and by creating spaces, such as community gardens and a commercial kitchen, where independent food producers can pool their resources, said Williams and Benoit.

By the coalition's count, 64 jurisdictions in Canada are developing food strategies, including Thunder Bay, Edmonton and the Yukon.

Williams said that a food strategy would bolster the city's efforts to end homelessness and move toward zero waste.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou have a number of strategies that you're working on ... that can all be joined together by working on food,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Borden Road to get paved, multi-use path

The city approved Tuesday the creation of a multi-use path on Borden Road from Old Airport Road to Jason Court.

Council voted unanimously in favour the asphalt path, which will cost an estimated $100,000.
There was some discussion at the evening council meeting about who should contribute to the costs of the path.

Coun. Adrian Bell suggested partially funding the path through a local improvement charge, because the path would be used primarily by neighbourhood residents.

He said that lots in this area were priced lower because there is no sidewalk.

For the city to fully fund the path, taxpayers would be financing SA国际影视传媒渆xtra amenitiesSA国际影视传媒� in the neighbourhood, after local residents benefited from a lower lot price, he told council.

SA国际影视传媒淚'm not saying I wouldn't be open to funding it 100 per cent from city coffers, but it's definitely something I want to consider,SA国际影视传媒� he said of the local improvement charge.

Coun. Steve Payne was against charging neighbourhood residents for paving the path.

SA国际影视传媒淚s this something we normally do?SA国际影视传媒� he asked. SA国际影视传媒淢ake the residents pay for their sidewalks?SA国际影视传媒�

Mayor Mark Heyck said the city doesn't normally charge residents for the sidewalk in front of their homes, but that it is SA国际影视传媒渟omething we're able to do.SA国际影视传媒�

The length, width and completion date of the path will be determined after its approval in the 2018 budget.

Artists encourage city to create more public venues

Young people in Yellowknife want more venues to hang out at downtown, say organizers of the This City public art project.

For five years, the Yellowknife Artist Run Community Centre (ARCC) has hosted an artist residency where creators explore issues in Yellowknife.

This year, Toronto's Crazy Dames collective SA国际影视传媒� artist and educator Jennie Suddick and city planner Sara Udow SA国际影视传媒� invited Yellowknife residents to collaborate on an art installation based on the question SA国际影视传媒渨hat makes an inclusive city?SA国际影视传媒�

Students from seven school groups participated in this year's project, called SA国际影视传媒淏uilding Together,SA国际影视传媒� which took over the old BMO space in Centre Square Mall with a paper art installation.

The art process involved conversations with young people about city planning, said Udow.

The students who participated said they want more fun things to do downtown.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey didn't find a lot of spaces to engage with in the city,SA国际影视传媒� said Udow. SA国际影视传媒淭hey wanted more store options, more food options within the downtown core.SA国际影视传媒�

The young people also cared about ending homelessness and celebrating nature in the city.

SA国际影视传媒淲e tend to talk about issues in an academic way,SA国际影视传媒� Katie O'Beirne, an ARCC representative, told council.

SA国际影视传媒淎rt allows you to break it down a little bit, and it's a low-risk, maybe more inviting way to talk, and also allows folks to express themselves if they don't have the right words.SA国际影视传媒�

ARCC has one year left on a three-year, $8,000 grant from Yellowknife for This City.

O'Beirne asked Tuesday for the city's continued support for ARCC's annual project.