Nutritious Food Basket (Motion #48-17)

Moved by Noland – Pilon.  Approved by the Sudbury & District Board of Health, November 23, 2017.

WHEREAS the Sudbury & District Board of Health has monitored the cost of healthy eating on an annual basis in accordance with the Nutritious Food Basket Protocol and the Population Health Assessment and Surveillance Protocol per the Ontario Public Health Standards 2008; and

WHEREAS the draft Standards for Public Health Programs and Services, 2017 do not include the Nutritious Food Basket Protocol which is a concern because food costing data gathered by public health units each year is important for policy and program development; and

WHEREAS the Canadian Community Health Survey’s Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM) is a measure of food security but is not always a mandatory core module; and

WHEREAS regular and consistent monitoring of household food insecurity is essential for evidence-informed policy decision making;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Sudbury & District Board of Health request that social assistance rates be increased immediately to reflect the cost of the Nutritious Food Basket and local housing costs; and

THAT the Sudbury & District Board of Health advocate to the Province to ensure continued consistent local surveillance and monitoring of food costing by public health units through the continuation of a Nutritious Food Basket Protocol and Guidance document; and

THAT the Sudbury & District Board of Health advocate to Statistics Canada for the HFSSM to become a core module of the Canadian Community Health Survey; and

FURTHER THAT the Sudbury & District Board of Health share this motion and supporting materials with community agencies, boards, municipalities, elected representatives and others as appropriate throughout the SDHU catchment area.

CARRIED

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This item was last modified on July 30, 2019