mcys - student nutrition program report

Minister’s Challenge on ontario’s student nutrition PrograM

Minister’s Challenge on ontario’s student nutrition PrograM

Table of ContentsMinister’s Challenge 3Approach & Methodology 5Key Findings 9Frameworks 13Recommendation 1 17Recommendation 2 21Recommendation 3 23Recommendation 4 27Final Thoughts 31Appendix 1: Innovation Portfolio 33Appendix 2: Ranking with 12 Point Criteria 41Appendix 3: Summary of Meeting Notes 47

Table of Contents 1

Minister’s Challenge

“I challenge you to apply your creativity to explore and design innovative solutions that generate greater efficiencies in food purchase, distribution and storage to maximize the impact of Ontario’s Student Nutrition Program.”

- Minister Teresa Piruzza

Minister’s Challenge2 3

Approach & Methodology

We approached the Minister’s Challenge with a seven-step methodology of literature review, problem definition, system sensing, system mapping, qualitative stakeholder consultation, analysis and recommendation. We arrived at this approach through a synthesis of advice from the MCYS, the MaRS Solutions Lab, ad-hoc interviews with contacts in the civil service combined with insights from the Studio Y curriculum.

We began a literature review of relevant articles from government agencies, academics, and civil society organizations reading over thirty-five articles, documents, and websites from the Ministry of Agriculture, Farms and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (MOHLTC), the Ministry of Child and Youth Services (MCYS), and third party organizations.

Next, we reviewed the challenge and submitted a revised problem definition to the MCYS, where we shifted focus from inventing innovations ourselves to an approach we believed could generate a larger impact: examining how the MCYS- Child and Youth Development Branch (CYDB) could scale existing and stimulate new innovations in food purchase, distribution and storage.

In the next two concurrent phases, System Sensing and System Mapping, we conducted a rapid succession of informal interviews with a diverse set of SNP actors, building a systems map as we deepened our understanding.

During the next phase, Quantitative Stakeholder Consultation, we conducted interviews with Lead Agencies and Food and Logistics Coordinators to identify their processes, needs, challenges, and ideas for improvement of the system. We consulted nine Lead Agencies or Food and Logistics Coordinators and some highlights from this process included a roundtable discussion we convened at MaRS between Lead Agencies from different corners of the province with MCYS-CYDB staff to discuss the challenges and opportunities within the Student Nutrition Program and a research trip to Thunder Bay. In addition to our consultations with stakeholders, we met with over 15 issue experts such as directors of civil society organizations and sales associates for food service providers. Lastly, we optimized our unique position at MaRS and consulted with Innovation and Complexity Issues experts to inform our approach. Highlights include REOS Partners, the MaRS Solutions Lab, Cense Research + Design, and the Deputy Secretariat to the Cabinet at the office of the Privy Council who was responsible for setting up the first ‘change lab’ within the Privy Council of the Federal Government. Concise meeting summaries are included in Appendix 3.

Finally in our analysis phase, we used a twelve point criteria provided by the MCYS-CYDB to assess a number of solutions identified through the previous phase and inform the selection of the four final recommendations included in this report. The

Approach & Methodology4 5

twelve-point criteria can be found in Appendix 2.

It is worth noting that during the course of this challenge we were simultaneously completing a curriculum in Human-Centred Design, Social Labs Methodologies, and Systems Thinking; these three lenses consciously and subconsciously influenced our approach.

Approach & Methodology6 7

Key Findings

The Student Nutrition Program (SNP) is characterized by a high-level of regional differentiation, localized program delivery, and dependency on central funding from the Ministry of Child and Youth Services - Child and Youth Development Branch (MCYS-CYDB). By eschewing a top-heavy governance structure, local programs have been enabled to deliver the program in contextually specific ways and have been required to secure resources at the local level. While this arrangement has many advantages, there are several implications that are likely difficult for the CYDB to discern from its perspective. To offer insight to the CYDB, we dedicate this section to offering a handful of these top-level insights from the diverse perspectives across the SNP system. We will first address challenges, then turn the focus to opportunities.

Challenges:

Geographically isolated, and chronically bootstrapped, the SNP has developed a spirit of resourcefulness and a heavy reliance on donations of resources: especially human labour. This reliance on volunteers, while cost efficient in many regards, has created some challenges for achieving effective storage, procurement, and distribution mechanisms in the local context. We heard several examples of uncertainty and inconsistency caused when key volunteers moved on from the program (as in the case of school principals who were posted to a new school), or had to scale back commitment. Furthermore, since many volunteers lack continuity with the program they cannot be routinely relied on for future planning and it becomes difficult to realize ambitious, innovative, and cost-saving ideas like bulk procurement that requires consistent and reliable local bandwidth.

Another source of uncertainty facing local SNP programs is their infrastructure. We heard of a handful of cases involving schools closing, amalgamating, or otherwise leaving the program causing the loss of important storage, preparation, and distribution spaces.

Next, lack of institutional commitment of schools to the SNP is a consistent challenge to programs across the province and especially in rural and northern contexts where support is less available. A common story was recounted of a new principal arriving who didn’t prioritize the SNP, and scaling back or pulling the informal support integral to the program. This not only inhibits access to important infrastructure, but also negatively impacts a large base of teachers, volunteers, and ultimately students.

Simply put, the lack of explicit institutional commitment by schools, school boards, and the Ministry of Education has been a significant hurdle to achieving goals of universal student nutrition.

Key Findings8 9

The final challenge we observed was the sense of isolation amongst actors within the system. Ontario is a large province and although teleconferencing has helped bridged the distance, system actors consistently reminded us how valuable they found face-to-face time with colleagues, and how they would value more opportunities to collaborate in-person.

Opportunities:

With a long history and deep community roots, we observed a strong sense of local ownership over the SNP. This local sense of ownership results in a strong commitment and program is fortunate to have passionate people at every level of program delivery. Throughout our research, we encountered staff, volunteers, and third party associates who understood, believed in, and diligently fulfilled the mandate of the SNP. In addition to passion, we observed extensive experience and local knowledge embodied by the staff and volunteers who deliver the program at a local level. This awareness of local context is invaluable and irreplaceable and represents an important opportunity for improving the SNP.

Finally, we would like to underscore the opportunity that we believe exists with the Food and Logistics Coordinators. As a new source of energy in the program, these key actors can improve local and regional program connectivity across the province. When exploring opportunities to develop and scale innovations in the SNP, we highly recommend leveraging the capacity of the Food and Logistics Coordinators to generate and implement these innovations successfully. Supports to this emerging network will likely have strong and positive ripple effects throughout the SNP system.

Key Findings10 11

Frameworks

In order to situate the recommendations generated through the process of the ministers challenge, we have developed three frameworks or mindsets for the MCYS-CYDB to consider itself in relation to the SNP system. Below we have laid out these three options for considerations and our recommendation regarding the best framework given the current context and constraints.

In order to contextualize the recommendations below, it is worth noting that these frameworks are not necessarily mutually exclusive, and that MCYS-CYDB may evolve from one framework to another over time.

Framework #1: Systems Change

Within a Systems Change framework, the MCYS-CYDB considers its role as that of a driver of systems change. In this frame, the Ministry considers policy implications beyond its own mandate, and in timelines that extend well beyond election cycles. From this perspective, MCYS-CYDB takes a holistic approach to solving policy challenges, and drives change not only within their own programs, but also builds strategic partnerships with other ministries for common challenge ares. Prioritizing local food procurement within the SNP in order to address broader issues in community economic development and food security is an excellent example of activities that fit within this framework.

Framework #2: Catalytic Leader

Within a catalytic leader framework, the MCYS-CYDB understands itself as an integral catalyst of growth and improvement in the system’s capacity. In contrast to the System Change framework where the MCYS-CYDB would deeply invest in understanding root causes of systems challenges, the Catalytic Leader actively observes their own system to identify opportunities to strategically direct money, enable connectivity, and invest in learning and improvement. In other words, the MCYS-CYDB is invested not only in what the output is of system actors, but also in how they arrived at their outputs, and how they will achieve outputs in the future. Hiring of the Food and Logistics Coordinators are an excellent example of an activity within this framework.

Framework #3: Hands-Off Support

Within a Hands-Off Support framework, the MCYS-CYDB understands its role to pass along funding, ensure accountability, and then get out of the way. In this framework, the MCYS-CYDB acknowledges the local history and ownership of the individual programs and gauges success on achieving the highest rates of student nutrition (as measured by calories per child) for the lowest amount of government investment within

Frameworks12 13

minimum standards for health and freshness. Most considerations beyond this metric are not included in analysis performed by the government. To date, this has been the predominant approach of the MCYS.

We believe the Systems Change framework to be the ideal end point for the MCYS-CYDB to work towards, as it offers the most thorough approach to addressing why students are hungry. However, considering the current context, we advocate for the MCYS-CYDB to approach the SNP through a Catalytic Leadership framework. Our subsequent recommendations fit within this framework.

Frameworks14 15

Recommendation 1

Pooling ResouRces via Home economics classesDescription:

It is recommended that the MCYS-CYDB pilot partnerships between local home economics classes and the SNP to access larger food budgets, leverage existing procurement, distribution, and storage channels, improve the quality of food served through freshly prepared meals, and enhance the educational outcomes of the SNP.Rationale:

While students prepare meals from scratch in home economics classes, SNP programs are often unable to access adequate food procurement budgets, storage and procurement facilities, and volunteers (and staff) to help with food preparation. A partnership between the SNP and home economics classes would enable cross-ministerial resource sharing between the MCYS and the Ministry of Education (MoE) at the program level and improve both the SNP and home-ec program outcomes.

Considerations:

Given cross-ministerial nature of this recommendation, successful implementation would require an established decision making framework prior to widespread SNP-home economics class partnerships. A key point to resolve will include the resource (both financial or otherwise) contribution levels of the SNP and home economics classes.

Additionally, since the partnership at the local level is dependant on school participation, further analysis would need to occur determine the province-wide viability of this recommendation. Questions also arises around the home-scale cooking being taught in the home economics classes and the large volumes required for the SNP, food handling and safety considerations from school cooks, and consistency of the new cooks. It is therefore recommended that additional supervision for this partnership is provided by professional cooking programs at local colleges.

Risk Mitigation:

A successful partnership is contingent on a strong commitment between the MCYS-CYDB and the MoE at the ministry level. In addition, this recommendation requires the building and maintenance of relationships between the ministries, local school

Recommendation 116 17

boards, lead agencies and other civil society partners. As such, it is recommended that a working group is established to support the partnership development.

Next Steps:

The next steps are to learn from existing instances of SNP-home economics partnerships (Thunder Bay pancake mix case study), and begin establishing relationships between the ministries, school boards and local lead agencies. Finally it is recommended that a pilot is set up under supervision with a professional cooking program, where kinks in infrastructure, scale, and health considerations are tested out.


Recommendation 2

DeveloP sHaReD BRanDDescription:

It is recommended that the MCYS-CYDB fund and coordinate the development of a shared brand for the Ontario Student Nutrition Program that facilitates the expression of the provincial mandate while allowing for local differentiation.

Rationale:

This recommendation addresses three problems. First, a shared brand will allow SNP actors to reach out and be perceived by large food producers as an established purchaser, thus enhancing their negotiation position. Second, the process of developing a shared brand and identity will result in a shared understanding of mandate, values, and aspirations across the province paving the way for easier collaboration and knowledge transfer. Thirdly, building a coherent and compelling brand will bolster efforts to attract resources and volunteers by creating recognition, authority, and magnetism around the program.

Considerations:

As mentioned earlier, there is a strong sense of local ownership of the program, and creating a shared brand is likely to surface tensions between local identities and the identity of the provincial system.

Risk Mitigation:

In order to address the strong sense of local ownership, it is recommended that the MYCS-CYDB approaches this process deliberatively, bringing on a branding agency experienced in multi-stakeholder consultations and local actors should be a central priority from the first steps of this process. It is recommended that the final brand provides ample space for local customization: as one Lead Agency stated “Student Nutrition Program + local flair.” Finally it is recommended that the MCYS-CYDB signal their intention to develop this identity from the bottom up by seeking to hire a branding firm from outside of Southern Ontario.

Next Steps:

The first step to take are to convene the Lead Agencies and Food and Logistics Coordinators to gauge interest.


Recommendation 3

infRastRuctuRe maPDescription:

It is recommended that the MCYS support the development of an interactive infrastructure map which highlights storage, transportation and processing facilities across the province.

Rational:

Developed in conjunction with the Food and Logistics Coordinators, this resource would enable improved supply management decision-making at local and regional levels across the SNP. Specifically, the map would enable the identification of opportunities to leverage existing food volumes that the SNP could use to lessen their food logistics costs. Additionally, a resource like this would support a culture of knowledge sharing amongst key SNP actors. Lastly, by creating a common map where infrastructure details are captured, this recommendation would help mitigate the duplication of efforts among disconnected groups seeking to address similar logistical challenges.

Considerations:

There will likely be a considerable learning curve for map users that would need to be overcome. Furthermore, as in any shared resource platform, there is that potential that programs will default to using the infrastructure and producers noted on the map rather than continuing to explore new and potentially more competitive options

Risk Mitigation

It is recommended that adequate technical support be provided to ensure that the Food and Logistics Coordinators are able to meaningfully use the platform. This could come in the form of partnerships with computer science programs at local universities. In addition, given that other industry players have likely done much of the leg work mapping transportation distribution infrastructure, it is recommended to involve actors with prior experience to shorten the learning and development curves. To address the potential that programs will default to using the infrastructure noted on the map rather than continuing to explore new and potentially more competitive options, it is recommended that this platform be tested as a trial, with a specific focus to this potential in the initial rounds of evaluation. Given that the users will be professionals whose full time job is to develop new infrastructure and business contracts, this risk seems unlikely.


Next Steps

To avoid replication of effort by others in the sector, we recommend conducting a scan of other groups using social mapping technologies.

Examples: FallingFruit.org


Recommendation 4

innovation funD anD comPetitionDescription:

It is recommended that the MCYS create an innovation fund and ideas competition to surface ideas and catalyze innovation within the Student Nutrition Program. The creation of this fund will create the breathing room for local programs to think beyond the day-to-day of their operations and find resources to realize their innovative ideas. An annual conference bringing together SNP Lead Agencies and Food and Logistics Coordinators can kick off each new funding cycle with a competition that will create a novel exchange of ideas, and stimulate a culture of innovation within the SNP system.

Rationale:

We found an abundance of passion, nuanced local knowledge, and well considered ideas for improvements to the SNP. The next ingredients for successful SNP innovation are resources and bandwidth to allow new ideas to be tested, and we believe that a small investment has the potential to improve the systems capacity to innovate, both by generating and testing locally sourced ideas and by spurring a culture of innovation that will sustain past any external intervention.

Furthermore, an innovation fund will create give an opportunity for MCYS-CYDB to set innovation themes that will stimulate collective effort and the synergism that comes when multiple people are working on the same problem. For example, over the first three years the innovation fund could be targeted at food purchasing, storage, and distribution respectively.

Considerations:

Currently the MCYS-CYDB allocates funding for ideas on an ad-hoc basis, so there are concerns that this recommendation is duplicative. Furthermore, as innovations take time to prove their value, and there is a high rate of failure, accounting for impact will be challenging and can potentially expose the MCYS-CYDB to political risk.

Risk Mitigation:

Impact accounting is a burgeoning and dynamic field, and it is recommended that


the MCYS-CYDB track evolutions . In early days, MCYS-CYDB should consult with leaders in the field, such as MaRS Centre for Impact Investing, Purpose Capital, and Social Asset Measurement. In addition to employing the most cutting edge impact measurement tools, it is recommended that the MCYS-CYDB invest in extensive storytelling efforts to mitigate political risks and enhance retail appeal of this recommendation. Given the retail appeal of this recommendation, this creates opportunity to leverage new corporate donations through sponsorship of a competition. Finally, administering such a fund through a third party foundation will allow the MCYS-CYDB to tap into existing expertise, and mitigate some of the political risk.

Next Steps:

As a first step, it is recommended that MCYS-CYDB research analogous innovation fund models, and connect with the administering organizations. Relevant case studies include the McConnell Foundation’s Social Innovation Fund, Tides Canada Foundation’s Salmon Aquaculture Innovation Fund Case study, and Nesta’s Social Action Innovation Fund.


Final Thoughts

The Student Nutrition Program is ripe for innovation, both in the areas of food purchase, storage and distribution defined by the Minister’s Challenge and more broadly across the system. This potential stems from the combination of networked, knowledgeable, and passionate individuals and local programs who are backed by a government ministry who is both ideologically aligned, and currently enjoys a favourable political climate. By including the opportunity created by Studio Y - a second MCYS program that is endowed with resources, talent, and situated within a world-leading innovation centre - what results is a unique opportunity to push the limits of public sector innovation.

We believe that MCYS-CYDB should work with Studio Y to seize this opportunity and embed the SNP Challenge as an ongoing element of the Studio Y curriculum. We believe that the MCYS-CYDB should take a more active role in the SNP Challenge as both instructors to the process and as students of 21st century policy making - working and learning alongside Studio Y fellows.

Although it was ultimately outside of the scope of this project, we would like to share our vision that the MCYS-CYDB set up a SNP Change Lab, housed at Studio Y and embedded within core Studio Y curriculum. In this SNP Change Lab, Fellows will work with the MCYS-CYDB, leading Change Lab practitioners in Europe and in North America, and Ontario civil society organizations to design a Change Lab, convene stakeholders, and study innovative ideas as they are designed, prototyped, tested and iterated in within the SNP. This change lab would operate in tandem with Recommendation #4, and the process would be overseen by an innovation partner such as MaRS Solutions Lab or REOS Partners, and a content partner such as one of the civil society organizations working on food issues in Ontario.

This lab will be developed alongside the MCYS-CYDB that will select staff and will work alongside Studio Y Fellows to learn about and co-design the change labs. This will create the corollary benefit of achieving professional development goals of the MCYS-CYDB and providing Studio Y Fellows an opportunity to truly imagine a future working in the Ontario Public Service.

Change Labs, or Social Labs have become essential elements of European Policymaking, and as the Canadian Public Service institutions begin to explore this model (Government of New Brunswick, Privy Council of the Federal Government), we believe that the MCYS-CYDB has an opportunity to situate itself on the cutting edge, and develop methods that it can pilot and share with other ministries and jurisdictions.

Through this approach of tackling not only what policy gets made to improve the SNP, but also how it gets made, we believe the MCYS-CYDB can evolve from the currently proposed Catalytic Leadership Framework to the bold leadership of a Systems Change Framework.

Final Thoughts30 31

Appendix 1: Innovation Portfolio

Latent System Innovations are ideas currently existing within the Student Nutrition Program that demonstrate potential to address systemic challenges. In Table 1.1 we have identified the seventeen most promising latent innovations including a brief description, individual or organizational champion, and a categorization into stage, scale, and focus of innovation.

Stage

1. Problem identified2. Problem defined3. Hypothesis solution4. Feasible solution5. Viable solution6. Scalable solution

Scale

1. School2. Local3. Regional4. Inter-regional5. Provincial6. National

Focus of innovation

1. Procurement2. Distribution3. Storage4. Processing5. Fundraising6. Local food7. Collaboration8. Coordination9. Learning10. Community

Development11. User Experience

Appendix 1: Innovation Portfolio32 33

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Appendix 2: Ranking with 12 Point Criteria

In Table 2.1 we have presented the assumptions made to utilize the 12 pt. criteria. In Table 2.2 we have created quantitative assessment tool based off of the twelve point assessment framework, and have subjected each Latent System Innovation to an analysis based on our understanding to date. In Table 2.3 we have expanded the binary analysis to a more nuanced ranking. This tool is designed to be used by experts and users across the system and the results are to be compared for a better understanding of the most promising innovations.

Table 2.1 - Criteria and Assumptions

Criteria Assumptions

1. There is a value proposition – cost / benefit2. For the purposes of Minister’s Challenge, it’s a

provincial solution a. Disparity is the main issue3. Early buy-in and expected future buy-in of key

stakeholders and agents4. Implementable 5. If implemented, clear and measurable change and

impact6. It’s specific to the problem 7. It’s not duplicative8. It’s scalable9. It leverages available and diverse evidence bases and

insightsa. Key people, key evidence sources, key informants have been engaged

10. It’s understandable and has retail appeal – off-the-shelf resonance

11. It’s novel (novel for that sector / for that problem) 12. Very fiscally conservative 2.

1. Benefit outweighs costs, measured in financial ROI2. Solution is applicable in all of the province

a. Implementation addresses disparity between parts of province

3. Early buy-in > future buy-in4. Feasible > plausible5. Based on financial ROI6. Challenge problem areas (procurement, storage,

distribution)7. Doesn’t duplicates existing work in SNP by ministry

funding8. Subsequent implementations provincially are less

expensive 9. Requires engagement and research prior to

implementation10. Both considered but understandable > retail appeal11. Represents an untested approach, if needed12. Doesn’t require any additional funding - or any

additional cost is easily recoverable

Appendix 2: Ranking with 12 Point Criteria40 41

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Appendix 3: Summary of Meeting Notes

WhenWhoNotes

06/02/2014Zarah Ibrahim - Principal, Architext

● Follow the user experience

● Take multiple approaches to problem

● Breadth of interviews over depth

13/02/2014Susan Paekau - MaRS Solutions Lab: Future of Health

● Future of Health: Prevention of Chronic Diseases Starting with Making Healthy Eating the Easy Choice for young People

● Food + youth work overlaps with multiple partners: PHAC, Heart and Stroke, Toronto Public Health, TDSB (innovating education, bringing in entrepreneurship into Gr 7-9)

● George Brown College partnership where kids would do cooking for other students

● Working on Food Innovation Space (Guelph, Windsor, Toronto)

14/02/2014Jerry Koh - MaRS Solutions Lab

● Systems and process related advice

● Attack drivers with the greatest uncertainty and influence (could be points in systems map with the most connections)

25/02/14Susan Paekau, Terrie Chan, RJ Kelford - MaRS Solutions Lab and Studio Y

● Planning meeting to explore collaboration between Studio Y SNP Minister’s Challenge and MaRS Solutions Lab Future of Health work.

25/02/14Duncan So - Phink Life

● Exploring interesting new models of fresh food distribution for convenience stores, shifting idea of convenience

● New distribution models: transparency, trust, engagement

27/02/14Tracy Robertson - Ontario Trillium Foundation

● Formerly with Canadian Living FDN and worked on SNP to shift mentality of giving from ‘needy poor child’ to ‘everyone needs good food to succeed’ - “nourished learning”

● Regional Bank Manager is often local champion in rural communities

● connected to corps

● thought leader

● Key is to bring together actors (kids, community, school board, corporations, government) to design a system that includes an index of well-being, sense of belonging, child development

● The Trillium Foundation could fund this

Appendix 3: Summary of Meeting Notes46 47

WhenWhoNotes

05/03/14Scott Watson - Sandbox Project

● 4-5 focus areas (environment, healthy bodies - working to create new body mass index, disabilities, injury prevention and mental health)

● Collaboration with Concerned Kids Advertisers including Corus Entertainment which is working to ensure that cartoons they broadcast don’t have kids eating junk food

● Healthy Bodies is where SNP would connect, tons of partners in the space. For example:

● Ontario Fruit and Veg Producers

● MacDonalds (Richard Ellis is co-chair of focus area)

● Coke (which interestingly subsidizes milk in the north)

19/03/2014Erin Kasungu - Community Foun-dations Canada

● Erin referenced a conversation about a pan-Canadian SNP that was taking place with the Conference Board of Canada

● CFC is working on supporting aboriginal groups to start and manage their own foundations

09/04/14Erin Kasungu, Sara Lyons, Lesley - Community Foun-dations Canada

● Suggested targeted fundraising for improved food procurement, e.g. Grow for The Stop (http://www.thestop.org/grow-for-the-stop) Ride for Real Food (http://westendfood.coop/content/ride-4-real-food-4-all)

● Community Foundations could fund SNP locally and CFC could be interested in funding a process to redesign the SNP

● Consider advocacy as intervention

● Issues of grant making/receiving in aboriginal communities

14/04/14Round Table Meet-ing

Main themes included:

● Supply chain efficiencies and coordination, e.g. pilot software in Toronto

● Local food hubs

● Unified messaging

● Infrastructure in schools


WhenWhoNotes

22/05/14Bob Wasson - SYSCO

● SNP should piggyback off existing food purchases and distribution channels at school

● Focus on bulk purchasing for 10 food items and get a better deal on them rather than trying to do 100s

● Distribution example: Starbucks gets food deliveries at night - drivers have keys and can store food

● need proper storage to leave the product

● might have a separate dairy guy who delivers early morning

● Most deals are done through the manufacturer for rebate programs, not the grocery stores

22/05/14, 03/06/14

Carolyn Webb - Sus-tainOntario

● Numerous hypothetical solutions exist within the SNP Network (e.g. Consolidated ordering from farms, delivery via bicycle etc.)

● Local Food and Infrastructure coordinators are hungry for knowledge integration (leadership from Timmins and Sault Ste Marie)

● Learning Lab model will facilitate experimentation and knowledge transfer between lead agencies and SNP sites, best piloted on a local or regional scale

● Learning Labs could be built with assets and process expertise from SustainOntario, Farm to Cafeteria Canada, FoodShare, Studio Y and others regional coordinators.

● Precedents and funding for this kind of work exists (CLASP)

27/05/14Jody Luckasav-itch and Patricia Starling - Breakfast Clubs of Canada

● Create structure to coordinate fundraising of SNP

● Co-develop some guidelines for the program to be applied in contextually relevant ways.

28/05/14Kendal Donahue - Eco Superior

● Good context and connections relating to the food system in Thunder Bay

Lulu Cohen-Farnell - Real Food for Real Kids

● Suggested strategic with school trustees and unions - they want to see change and are seeking direction and vision.

● Idea for one school to prepare food for others in the area, consolidate kitchen resources in a few key places


WhenWhoNotes

19/06/14Debbie Field, Mer-edith Hayes, Ulla Knowles - Food-Share

● Idea to host an event to showcase the ideas that are being developed in the SNP

● Food distribution via school buses was previously tried and failed due to health and safety grievances

● Cross ministerial collaboration is important to improve SNP (including Ministry of Transportation)

● Align innovations in school food programs with supply management system as done in Finland, US, Great Britain

● Value of money spent on food provincially can act as an economy stabilizer

30/06/14Lorraine Spooner - Thunder Bay SNP Program Volunteer

● Has developed a good process for program coordination and delivery and is able to work with limited infrastructure

● Acts as local coordination

● Suggested budgeting as area to support.

● Would like better coordination between schools

30/06/14Harriet DeBruins - DeBruins Green-houses, Thunder Bay

● Would need to scale up to meet school demands, however needs proof of contracts to secure financing to scale

● Noted that good produce lasts longer (2 weeks vs days) - restaurants willing to pay extra to reduce distributi on costs

● Has surplus of cherry tomatoes at end of season $4/clamshell, $2.75/lb

● it’s likely that there are many other producers in this relationship

30/06/14Frank at Gardewine Transportation, Thunder Bay

● No minimum orders for distributions

● Importance of flow through for efficient distribution hubs, (one side is inboud other is out)

30/06/14Erin Beagle - Roots to Harvest, Thun-der Bay

● Need group to coordinate and bring different groups in SNP system together and strengthen connection between SNP and farm to cafeteria work

● Lead Agencies take a large portion (40%+) of SNP staff funding for general admin costs

● Missed opportunity with the hiring of the Food and Logistics Coordinators by not creating the network/supports that would have added value

● Curious to know what’s happened in the last 20 years as a result of program funding – room for a study


WhenWhoNotes

02/07/14Karling Zaporzan -Thunder Bay Dis-trict Health Unit

● Does trainings/menu workshops at schools but these seem to be disconnected from SNP check-ins

● Cafeterias taken a hit since 2011 with PPM 150, kids now go to the SNP lunch program, increasing numbers but have money and were willing to pay

● Suggested creating one set of food standards (for rec centres, pools, etc.) rather than a few different one what are confusing to adhere to and enforce

● 15% isn’t enough from MCYS – schools are left to pick-up the pieces and can’t divert other funding

● Not enough support for FLC, big learning curve

● Programs lack of year to year consistency, great volunteer but aged and could no longer help

02/07/14Erin Beagle, Rebec-ca , Emma McKay - Red Cross, Thunder Bay

● 15% MCYS investment is often 100% of SNP funding for schools

● Consistent program formats and benefits of local coordination can result in admin cost savings: better budgeting (saving error management) and requiring less admin intervention

● Opportunity for better coordination with health units for site visits - need to create incentives for volunteers and teachers to attend (teacher release or promotion budget to cover this)

● Bulk purchasing as a way to ensure guidelines are being met, which currently they’re not (as confirmed by process of going through receipts) - mandated menu is important to drive demand, otherwise it’s hard to create volumes for bulk purchasing

● During conversation, Emma and Erin figured out a partnership to use existing resources to help with berry harvesting for the SNP

02/07/14Volker Krom - Re-gional Food Distri-bution Association, Thunder Bay

● Exploring warehouses and food processing facilities in Fort Francis, Dryden, Thunder Bay which could support SNP

● Thunder Bay, the RFDA has freezer and storage space which can be used by the SNP

● In northern communities, mining companies drive volume so it’s worth using their distribution channels

● SNP as added volume - not enough to create new supply chains, but enough volume to contribute to a other developments

● YES employment and other job training is providing pay for RFDA employees and could be used to resource summer students working on SNP


WhenWhoNotes

02/07/14Emma McKay, FLC Red Cross, Thunder Bay

● Requested more education for FLCs, e.g. warehouse distribution training

● Funding for a trained coordinator to deliver program at school and provide schools options for how to run program, not just free for all

● Suggested housing all Lead Agencies under the same organization with visionary leadership rather than mixed bag of parent organizations

● Insight that 60% of programs in Thunder Bay run by school principals who have an average 2 year turnaround, resulting in a problematic lack of program consistency

● Catholic school board has mandated that every school has an SNP but not all schools don’t want to so there’s tension there

02/07/14Kelly Skinner, Lake-head University, Thunder Bay

● Shared story of Ft. Albany – snack program has run for 20 years as result of champion – Joan Matawapin (teacher)

● Community invests resources into program because they see how it is a positive asset,

● Hot lunch didn’t keep kids around in afternoon but breakfast did help them come to school - iteration and experimentation was key to success.

● Student Nutrition Survey 2004 found kids had low calcium – which they used to get with fish bone soup, so SNP also supporting traditional foods

03/07/14Wendy Trylinski; Charmaine McCraw - Nishnawbe Aski Nation

● Nutrition North subsidy cut had big effect on the SNP

● Trillium project which has resulted in a community food systems planning toolkit

● Presented idea that NAN could be the LA for northern and aboriginal communities


WhenWhoNotes

03/07/14Joseph Leblanc - Green Party of Ontario, Thunder Bay

● Cautions of imposing food solutions - the potential for another imposed disruption unless the project is driven by the community - idea of indigeneity, that which is developed in place

● Referenced terrible experience with Fruit and Vegetable Program - stigma from managers who didn’t respect existing expertise of program coordinators, mandated them to come for a training successfully running SNP for 20 years. Now food is now prepped in Timmins before being shipped up

● How funding is being used is key, there’s a danger of public money being used for private profit

● Don’t have the same resources as in the south and so things need to be done differently

● Suggested doing a cost analysis of shipping food vs purchasing locally harvested Forest and Fresh Water foods

03/07/14Jeff Bruke - Brule Creek Farms, Thun-der Bay

● Great example of good food in the SNP - Emma McKay (FLC) contracted Brule Creek to make a special SNP pancake mix for the program

● Ran successful pilots and could do a larger volume as they’re currently operating at 1/3 capacity

● Still does own distribution but can foresee contracting that out

03/07/14Kevin Belluz - Belluz Farms, Thunder Bay

● Developed an online platform ‘Superior Seasons’ for other farms to sell product and colates pickups at a range of sites - could be what the SNP uses to order from – there are likely equivalents in many regions

● Currently developing a 1 million lbs cold storage and wash and pack facility for farms in the area

● Referenced storage is a way to buffer against risk and push back against low-ball prices during peak season volumes.

● Would do own delivery but other distributors (Louden Bros or LA Foods) could also help

● Former tree nurseries have greenhouse capacity and cold storage


WhenWhoNotes

07/07/14Algoma Family Services

Barb,

Julie Torcaso - Lead Coordinator, Alison Lynes - FLC

● Consistency of volunteers is an issue so are developing training materials and retention strategies

● Unpredictability of schools closing is a challenge, resulted in hub being shut down - need connection between ministries of Education and Health alongside MCYS and suggested “ISNC (integrated services for northern children)” as an analogous model

● Want one set of nutritional guidelines: confusion at school levels, some stricter than others Ex: MCYS - SNP guidelines, Health Unit, PPM 150

● Suggested lead person at MCYS level for aggregating products across the province and using number of the schools in catchment areas to negotiate reduced prices with wholesalers - estimated between 25-50% reduction

● Need budget for marketing/promo, some branding could be done at provincial level

● Chronic deficit of funding for professional development and learning, cited importance of attending Waves of Change conference in November

Farmers would get GAP Cert in exchange for guaranteed orders - http://www.canadagap.ca/becoming-certified/certification-options/

08/07/14Joeri Van Den Steenhoven, MaRS Solutions Lab

● Overview of lab potential, how to leverage private sector to create impact

● Idea of event to showcase innovations in SNP system

08/07/14Joanne Bayes - Farm 2 Cafeteria Canada

● Learning labs are happening in Canada and US - two operating, proposal is out for others BC and NFLD

● Suggested to start with large school district and not scale until you have proved model with one or two.

● Have a lab coordinator, focus on institutional procurement and connecting supply chain, getting them to commit them to 2-3 achievable goals over a timeline

● Include diverse group, e.g. farmers, representation from from OMAFRA, 3PL, health professionals

● Knowledge products are being developed to support process


WhenWhoNotes

10/07/14Viviane Degagne, Community Living North Bay

● Working to create food ordering guide for schools, helping explain process

● ‘Reverse economies of scale’ for elementary schools which had to leave SNP as schools got bigger - problem was the large shopping that needed to be done, more than one person could manage

● Suggested paid coordination for SNP at schools as key to program success

● Lack of branding for SNP makes negotiations with producers hard, don’t know who were are, logo and coherent website would go a long way

● Suggested using data to show suppliers size of SNP market the SNP - could be a good place for MCYS to be involved

17/07/14Amanda Sheedy - Food Secure Canada

● Advocated for federal government to improve program funding

● Prefers language of School Food Program vs Student Nutrition Program

● No silver bullet solutions - suggested need for research and pilot funding

● Working on a project to map school programs across Canada to get a better sense of what they are doing and what is required to help them improve

19/07/14Monica Pohlmann - Reos Partners

● Employ a collaborative approach to identify the top three most innovative ideas.

● Innovation is not the creation of something brand new, it’s the recombination of existing ideas, that are then ground tested based on what the system participants are saying

● Test ideas before taking to pilot phase

● Recognition that a lab methodology is appropriate when no single person can solve a problem. When trying to shift a system, the only way to do it is with everyone together


WhenWhoNotes

21/07/14Indra Noyes - FLC Peterborough and Region

● Despite differences across FLCs, similar challenges (therefore similar tools would help support)

● In region there’s no central repository to store/distribute food to 600 school - exploring arrangement with Daily Bread

● Interested in more face to face meetings and improvements to communication platforms for FLCs

● Working towards terms of reference as FLC group, current focus is local communities, some challenge with openness of job description

● Cautions of eroding local communities with solutions that meet nutritional need but not those of local communities - there are big opportunities for local processing and employment in Ontario and it’s worth finding ways to work with small farmers

23/07/14Sarah Doyle - MaRS Centre for Impact Investing

● Design for easy implementation

● Deliver max 4 pages, dense info in appendices

12/08/14FLC Call - All FLCs● Interested in having ministry support development of a SNP knowledge and collaboration portal

● Group purchasing - one FLC is doing an analysis to show the benefits of bulk purchasing and estimates that 60% of funding could be diverted


mcys - student nutrition program report

Documents