Farmers' market

Parks’ market policy consultation history

Feb.27 2007, 10:37 a.m.:

Invitation from Anne Freeman for other market people to come to Dufferin Grove to meet about market guidelines: All of us are aware that the parks department is in the process of developing guidelines related to farmers' markets in parks…While there are points on which we may have to agree to disagree, I would like to work together on a list of key ideas and shared priorities. Following this, we will ask to meet with Councillors Fletcher, Mihevic, O'Connell, Pantalone, and Giambrone, and appropriate representatives from Parks. Wayne Roberts is also supportive of this meeting.

Feb.27 2007 2.39 p.m.:

Response from Elizabeth Harris, blind-copied to Sandy Straw: asking to include Pam McConnell, and to have the meeting at Riverdale. The city’s blind copy shows up in cc’s.

Feb.27 2007 4.50 p.m:

E-mail to Anne Freeman from Sandy Straw, cc’d to market list plus Councillor Fletcher, Councillor Joe Mihevc, Councillor McConnell, Councillor Pantalone, Brenda Librecz, Don Boyle, Paul Ronan, Peter Leiss

''Ann and all As lead manager for Parks and the protocol for farmers markets I would appreciate the opportunity to share our deliberations. As I had committed to you and Elizabeth and others Parks is framing up the guidlines and. wants to share them once they are put together''

Feb.28, 2007: Anne Freeman to Sandy Straw

Thank you for your message. Since November, when I first contacted you via email to ask if we could discuss issues related to markets in parks, I have hoped to hear from you directly.

 Anne suggests a meeting late March.

March 1 2007: E-mail from Karine Jaouich for Jennifer: Debbie, Karine, Daniel and Ravenna were meeting with Peter Leiss about the Dufferin Grove garden and they mentioned the farmers’ market:

It turns out that he is taking the lead on writing this protocol and that he is in the final stages of writing it!

March 7 2007:

E-mail from Mark Hawkins to Roberta: farmers must be certified by Bob Chorney’s group, must have approval of BIA

March 8 2007 Scott to market network:

…it seems evident based on Roberta's email from Mark Hawkins and a lecture that is being presented at the 2007 Business Improvement Areas National Conference that Bob is weighing in at city hall. It seems his focus is bypassing community involvement and input, approaching all Toronto BIA's with his Certified Farmers Market's Model, FMO Membership's and the dangling of carrots (Offering Start-up grants to all BIA's willing to conform to the FMO's Certified Market Model).

March 9 2007: From Anne and other to Councillors Fletcher and Mihevc:

We…ask you to convene a meeting with senior Parks staff, Recreation staff, yourselves or representatives from your offices, and representatives from our working group. This needs to occur in advance of any decisions on a City farmers' markets policy for park-based markets. We would also like to invite representative farmers currently participating in such markets.

March 21 2007: From Roberta Stimac to Anne:

I just received a call from Mark Hawkins, who was very kind in letting me know that Parks is putting a hold on markets for the time being until they have drafted their protocol for farmers' markets in City parks… Mark is consulting with Sandy Straw over my questions, and is receiving his directive from her.

March 21, 2007 Anne to market group:

''Cheryl MacDonald, a city "policy person" currently working to support Councillor Mihevc, called me yesterday afternoon. We had a very good conversation about our reasons for writing and also for requesting discussion of markets at the Community Dev'p and Rec. committee meeting…She is looking into how best to bring our concerns to discussions/staff attention, whether that's at the committee meeting or in another way. A very positive contact!''

March 23, 2007 Peter Leiss to Carolyn and Scott:

Parks are working very hard to have a document ready sooner than later. This will be in Draft form ready for input from the groups that currently run or those who have approval to run Farmers Markets in Parks. We value your input as you have the expertise in this area.

The current situation with Farmers Markets in Parks is status quo. Existing and approved markets will continue for the time being. Once the Policy is approved it will form the frame work for all Farmers Markets in Parks going forward.

March 29 2007 letter from Sandy Straw to Councillor Mihevc, cc’d to market network two weeks later

To clarify, there has been contact with FoodShare staff, members of the Community Markets group and councillors’ offices at various times over the last few months as we gathered information….There has been an enormous increase in requests for markets across the city. Parks Branch staff and Customer Service staff identified the need to develop a means to support these requests in a fair and equitable manner city wide. At present, each market has its own system which led to inequities in the level of service received by communities, differing fee structures for the same services being applied to different farmers etc.

As the permitting of space in a city Park is a Parks Branch issue, staff set out to review what existed and research other practices. The intent is to gather information, share with interested individuals and groups and have them work with us to put together a protocol that would ensure a consistent manner of providing this wonderful community opportunity in our parks.

April 24, 2007 Jaime Mccaig to Roberta Stimac

''I wanted to advise you of what requirements and criteria that came out of our meeting yesterday with City Staff that all new groups starting Farmer's Markets must adhere to.''

Slightly milder than before, asks for ‘consultation’ with BIAs rather than approval, no mention of mandatory FMO certification. But “no reselling.”

April 24, 2007 from Amanda Montgomery to market network:

I agree with Anne...the language regarding local and re-selling is very strong and effectively rule out any Good Food Market being established in a city park if Jamie's email reflects the sentiments at the city level.

April 24 2007 Angela ElzingaCheng to market network:

The meeting has not yet happened with Anne, Debbie, Wayne and Paula - so no community input. An interesting comment from a staff member at Parks - I called to talk about a Good Food market in the park she worked in, she called back to say she was too busy working on a /brochure/, for the next three weeks and so would not be able to talk or meet. Hmmm - another example of Parks putting the community first!

April 24 2007 Rhonda Teitel-Payne to market network:

It sounds like the concern remains the same that it has always been - at least one city staffer (if not Parks as a whole) is trying to enforce a policy when consultation with market organizers hasn't happened.

April 24 2007 Anne Freeman to Pablo Vivanco, assistant to Paula Fletcher:

Can you help us to clarify what the current plans are around the meeting we are supposed to have with Councillors Fletcher and Mihevc, the Mayor's office, and City Staff?

Jaime McCaig's letter to Roberta below has raised some questions. Of course we are eager to see the permit process completed for Withrow, but it would seem that new policies are already being applied here, and as you know we have been waiting for some time to be included in discussions that need to come in advance of policy completion.

April 25, 2007 Pablo Vivenco to Debbie Field, Anne Freeman, Jutta Mason, Roberta Stimac, Chris Gallop

''Councillor Mihevc and Councillor Fletcher are requesting a meeting to review the pending applications for Farmer's Markets.Instead of having individual meetings, the Councillors would like to see these treated and implemented as pilot projects and have them running for this late spring and summer. Thursday, May 3 9AM''

May 5 2007 Anne Freeman to market network

Here's the draft policy in email form. I'll be sending out messages to other markets and gathering input for the (substantial) changes necessary before meeting with Peter Leiss, Ed Fearon (the author) and others in two weeks.

I think it will be easier to come to agreement on "internal-to-market" rules about percentages non-local, etc. than it will be on things like "no vehicles except on hard surfaces".

May 17 2007 Anne Freeman sent out her comments/changes to the draft, to the market network, for the market policy discussion meeting with city staff on May 18. It turned out to be a difficult meeting.

May 17 2007 Anne to Jutta I'm going to add that there are markets run by Parks and Rec. (Etobicoke, East York), by vendors associations (Sherway Gardens), by provincial associations (FMO's ) and by community members, markets that work with conventional farmers and ones that work with organic farmers, markets that include local artists (Birchcliff), gosh, the list is getting long, and they all do need consideration....

Sept.13 2007 Molly Elliot to Angela and Anna Bekerman

I have now paid Parks & Rec $359 to operate the Good Food Market this season.

I expressed my extreme disappointment and my perspective as a community worker to the permit officer but don't have the time this week to advocate further for reduced fees.

Nov.2 2007 Sandy Straw to Carolyn Wong

I am thrilled with the great response your Market received from the community and with the great working relationship we have created between Parks staff (especially Peter Leiss) and the Friends of Trinity Bellwoods. I look forward to your involvement as we work to finalize the Fresh Food Market Policy in preparation for next season…

Nov.22 2007 Carolyn Wong to Sandy Straw

I was just wondering about the status of the Fresh Food Market Policy. Do you have any idea when our involvement would begin?

Nov.22 2007 Sandy Straw to Carolyn Wong

We have been so tied up with the People Dogs and Parks policy implementation that we have not touched the Fresh Food Markets....we will not start without you and the others...it's a shared responsibility

Jan 8 2008 Debbie Field to Jennifer Reynolds

Just to let you know that Sandy Straw from Parks and Recreation called to wish FoodShare a happy new year and to say that she would like to arrange some meetings to talk about a Parks and Recreation strategy for markets and gardens in 2008 and asked that we call her back in early February to follow up. So timely that the January 14th meeting will be talking about our future goals. I assume that Anne Freeman would be the lead on market issues in parks for our network, and hope that Anne and I and others interested could meet sometime in the next few weeks to revisit last year's document and solidify what we want to ask the City to include in any policy developed.

Feb.1 2008 Jaime Mccaig to 8 market people, 3 city councillors, and 21 city staff

''A meeting has been scheduled for Friday, February 22nd/2008 at 10:00am, Toronto City Hall, 8th Floor, East Tower, Boardroom A This meeting will be to review the 2007 Farmer's Market and to discuss any new or renewal applications for 2008. Please confirm your attendance or that of a representative on your behalf.''

Feb.1 2008 Anne Freeman to Jaime Mccaig

Will this meeting be an opportunity to continue the process of consultation (regarding the development of a protocol for farmers' markets in parks) that was planned last year, or will that occur at another time?

Feb.1 2008 Jaime Mccaig to Anne:

The process of consultation will be on the agenda.

Feb.22 2008 Anne to market network, report on the Feb.22 meeting. Present: 6 market people, 9 city staff, 2 councillors’ assistants.

We began with a friendly review of 2007 markets. One interesting part of this was the presence of the East York market co-ordinator, a _City Rec. staff person_ who runs a market, turning most of the vendor fees back to Rec.(but requiring a permit now as they set up on the grass outside a community centre). Different model again, underlining the variety that exists among markets.

When I brought up the question of how Dufferin's permit would be handled this year in view of our close collaboration with Rec., we were told that our Rec. supervisor is no longer allowed to put his name on the permit because there will be no partnership permits issued. All park-based markets are now to be treated the same in relation to permitting.

This brought us to some discussion of the policy question, and here the meeting took a decided turn for the worse. Although this meeting was called by Permits, and Jaime McCaig stated in an email that only 2007 markets would be reviewed, we were now informed that if we wanted any further input on the policy, it should be right on the spot, because the plan is to present the policy to Parks heads next Wednesday. I guess that if I hadn't written to inquire about whether the process of consultation would be discussed, there might not even have been a mention of any more consultation. In answer to questions from me, Peter Leiss stated that there had never been any agreement to have Wayne Roberts work on the policy wording with Ed Fearon, that we shouldn't have expected any visits or further meetings, basically that I was completely mistaken about expectations around the consultation process. Okay....

Numerous points of concern were brought up for discussion last May 18; some phrases have been altered since that time, but some issues remain unaddressed. Today we were handed a draft dated May 24, 2007--never circulated before--as the now-nearly-final version. We were told that policies can always be changed...that a policy is needed in order for markets to go ahead (though many have operated for years, and Ed Fearon admitted he had been shocked to find that not a word of policy existed about markets such as Nathan Philips), that we'd better go back to the councillors if we wanted more involvement (sadly, no rep. in attendance from Fletcher or Mihevc's offices), and that while they (represented by Peter Leiss here) didn't expect us to agree with all of the policy, it would be going ahead (not before Council, but before Parks).

Feb.25, 2008: letter asking for intervention, to Councillor Paula Fletcher, Chair, Parks and Environment Committee, and Councillor Joe Mihevc, Chair, Community Development and Recreation Committee

We are writing to ask for your immediate intervention on an urgent matter.

Last March we wrote and asked for your help to make sure that the City developed a positive farmers’ market practice and policy enabling markets to be operated on city-owned land.

You responded positively and your offices convened a meeting last spring at which we were assured that the consultation process would include all major stakeholders in developing the policy. The process stalled after the first meeting. When we inquired in November 2007, we received the following assurance from Sandy Straw:

Then we heard nothing for months, until in the middle of a February 22, 2008 Permits review meeting, those of us present were surprised by the announcement that the markets policy would be considered for approval this Wednesday at the February 27, 2008 Parks Directors meeting.

We were given a draft policy dated May 24, 2007 that still has many problems. This policy, if adopted, does not provide a suitable framework for markets to thrive and play the important role that they can in making the City stronger.

Last year Councillor Joe Mihevc said he thought we should give the staff process a chance before we sought political involvement. We believe the staff process has not worked, and we need your help to make sure that an appropriate farmers’ market procedure and policy is developed.

Could you please ensure that staff hold off approving any market policy until all stakeholders and all City divisions with an involvement have had a chance to work with the City on a policy that can work for everyone’s needs?

We have seen, as we know you have, the way that markets can help build a sense of community in our neighbourhoods and enhance enjoyment of our public spaces, providing access to culturally appropriate foods, promoting healthy eating and supporting local farmers.

As this is such a time sensitive matter, we will be following up with a phone call to your office.

Anne Freeman, Manager, Dufferin Grove Organic Farmers' Market

Debbie Field, Executive Director, FoodShare

On behalf of the Neighbourhood-Based Markets Working Group:

Carolyn Wong, Trinity-Bellwoods Farmers’ Market

Roberta Stimac, Withrow Park Farmers’ Market

Rhonda Teitel-Payne, The Stop Community Food Centre’s Green Barn Market

Angela Elzinga-Cheng, FoodShare on behalf of the Good Food Markets Network which operate three markets in City Parks

c.c.

Mayor David Miller
Councillor Joe Pantalone
Councillor Adam Giambrone
Sue Corke, Deputy City Manager
Dr. David McKeown, Medical Officer of Health
Brenda Librecz, General Manager Parks, Forestry and Recreation
Malcolm Bromley, Director of Recreation
Paul Ronan, Director of Parks
Sandy Straw, Manager, Parks Toronto East York

Content last modified on September 21, 2010, at 12:08 AM EST