Planners have an important role in supporting local food production, strengthening long-term food security, and promoting policies that mitigate the impact of climate change. This webinar explores:

• The economic benefits associated with local farmers markets and initiatives to support and strengthen this important community activity;
• The BC government’s Indigenous Food Sovereignty program and how it supports Indigenous communities by funding self-sustaining food systems;
• How local governments can support food security in their communities;
• The impact of drought on local food production, drought recovery and mitigation, and the evolving impact of climate change and legislation on water security for agricultural production;
• Important policy updates from the BC Ministry of Agriculture & Food

Please join us for this informative session!

Our Speakers

Dr. David Connell RPP MCIP
Professor, Ecosystem Science and Management, University of Northern British Columbia
Dr. David Connell, RPP MCIP, is a Professor in Ecosystem Science and Management at the University of Northern British Columbia.  David’s interests centre on community, land, and food systems.  His areas of research include land use planning to protect farmland and socio-economic benefits of farmers markets.  David has published in the areas of policy analysis (plan quality), planning theory, and farmland protection.  He just published the free, open-access textbook, Land Use Planning in British Columbia:  Cases and Applications.

Dr. Tammara Soma RPP MCIP
Assistant Professor, School of Resource and Environmental Management (Planning Program), Simon Fraser University
Dr. Tammara Soma RPP MCIP is an Assistant Professor at the School of Resource and Environmental Management (Planning program) at Simon Fraser University and Research Director of the Food Systems Lab. She conducts research on issues pertaining to food loss and waste (FLW), food systems planning, food security, Indigenous food sovereignty, and the circular food economy. She is routinely featured in international and local media (The Guardian, BBC, CBC, TVO, CTV, National Observer, Chatelaine and more) and is the co-director of the CBC documentary “Food is My Teacher.” Tammara is a registered professional planner and a proud mother of three.

Paul Pryce
Director of Policy, BC Agriculture Council
Paul joined BCAC as the Director of Policy in February 2022. Previously, he served as Counsellor at the Embassy of Canada to Japan, establishing Saskatchewan’s first international office, and was Principal Advisor to the Consul General of Japan in Calgary from 2014 to 2020. Earlier in his career, Paul worked as a Research Analyst for the Atlantic Council of Canada from 2012 to 2013 and, while serving at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, facilitated ceasefire talks during the 2008 war in Georgia. Passionate about agriculture policy, Paul has written for a wide range of publications and presented at the Canada Food & Drink Summit, the Pulse and Special Crops Convention, the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association’s annual conference, and other industry events. Paul holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Calgary and a Master of Arts in International Relations from Tallinn University.

Reed Bailey
Land Use Planner, Ministry of Agriculture and Food
Reed has been a Land Use Planner with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food for nearly six years and recently accepted the role of Team Lead of the Land Use Planning team. Prior to that, he worked as a Land Use Planner with the Agricultural Land Commission for approximately seven years.

Jeff Weightman
Acting Director of the Land Use and Geospatial Unit
Jeff is the Acting Director of the Land Use and Geospatial Unit with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. He spent the previous ten years working with the Capital Regional District's Planning Department. A generalist master of nothing, Jeff has a few areas of highly specialized knowledge and a thirst for learning, among other things.