Running Head: THE ROLE OF RESTAURANTS IN VICTORIA’S FOOD SYSTEM The Role of Restaurants in Advancing Food System Goals in Victoria by BENJAMIN CLARK A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Social and Applied Sciences in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS in ENVIRONMENT AND MANAGEMENT Royal Roads University Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Supervisor: Professor Ann Dale November 2017 BENJAMIN CLARK, 2017 THE ROLE OF RESTAURANTS IN VICTORIA’S FOOD SYSTEM 2 COMMITTEE APPROVAL The members of Benjamin Clark’s Thesis Committee certify that they have read the thesis titled The Role of Restaurants in Advancing Food Systems Goals in Victoria and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the thesis requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Environment and Management. Professor Ann Dale [signature on file] Dr. Chris Ling [signature on file] Final approval and acceptance of this thesis is contingent upon submission of the final copy of the thesis to Royal Roads University. The thesis supervisor confirms to have read this thesis and recommends that it be accepted as fulfilling the thesis requirements: Professor Ann Dale [signature on file] Running Head: THE ROLE OF RESTAURANTS IN VICTORIA’S FOOD SYSTEM Creative Commons Statement This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial- ShareAlike 2.5 Canada License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ca/. Some material in this work is not being made available under the terms of this licence: • Third-Party material that is being used under fair dealing or with permission. • Any photographs where individuals are easily identifiable. THE ROLE OF RESTAURANTS IN VICTORIA’S FOOD SYSTEM 4 Abstract The negative implications of an industrialized food system have become more apparent to governments and citizens, leading to food policy development that encourages transparency and resilience. Restaurants have an important role in the development of food systems, as increasingly busy urban lifestyles cause more meals to be eaten away from home. This research explores how restaurants in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada contribute to a sustainable food system, and how other actors support their efforts. Three other Canadian cities (Halifax, Toronto, Vancouver) were examined as case studies, and people in these cities and in Victoria were interviewed to determine how successful food policies have been developed and implemented and what role restaurants can play in that effort. The research found that when restaurants work together to leverage their collective impact, they can strengthen local food supply and grow food literacy. The paper contains recommendations for restaurants, local governments, and supporting civil society organizations as they work together to develop sustainable food systems. THE ROLE OF RESTAURANTS IN VICTORIA’S FOOD SYSTEM 5 Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... 4 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................. 7 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 8 Context ............................................................................................................................ 9 Food Policy in Canadian Cities..................................................................................... 13 Food Policy Councils .................................................................................................... 16 Food System Challenges in Victoria............................................................................. 17 Research Methods ............................................................................................................. 20 Objectives ..................................................................................................................... 20 Scope ............................................................................................................................. 21 Selection of Case Studies .............................................................................................. 21 Grounded Theory .......................................................................................................... 22 Limitations .................................................................................................................... 23 Bias and Assumptions ................................................................................................... 24 Data Collection ............................................................................................................. 26 Triangulation ................................................................................................................. 29 Data Analysis ................................................................................................................ 30 Case Study Background .................................................................................................... 31 THE ROLE OF RESTAURANTS IN VICTORIA’S FOOD SYSTEM 6 Halifax........................................................................................................................... 31 Toronto .......................................................................................................................... 35 Vancouver ..................................................................................................................... 39 Results ............................................................................................................................... 44 Theme: Working Together to Strengthen the Local Supply Chain .............................. 45 Theme: Telling the Story of Food and Educating Consumers ...................................... 51 Results Related to Secondary Research Question: Local Government Support........... 56 Results Related to Secondary Research Question: Food Policy Frameworks .............. 62 Other Common Themes ................................................................................................ 64 Discussion ......................................................................................................................... 64 The Role of Restaurants ................................................................................................ 65 The Role of Local Government .................................................................................... 67 The Role of Civil Society Organizations ...................................................................... 70 Conclusion and Recommendations ................................................................................... 71 Recommendations for Restaurants ............................................................................... 71 Recommendations for the City of Victoria ................................................................... 72 Recommendations for Civil Society Organizations ...................................................... 73 References ......................................................................................................................... 74 THE ROLE OF RESTAURANTS IN VICTORIA’S FOOD SYSTEM 7 Acknowledgements I would like to thank my supervisor Professor Ann Dale for her interest, commitment, guidance, and support for me throughout this project. Ann’s guidance and wisdom in her writing and teaching motivated me to complete this project to a high standard. I feel both fortunate and proud to be in the club of students that have worked under her leadership. I would also like to thank my thesis committee member Dr. Chris Ling, Environment and Management Program Head and Director of the School of Environment and Sustainability at Royal Roads University. Chris provided me with valuable advice and patience throughout this research and the broader program. I am grateful to the research participants who agreed to be a part of this project, and who shared with me their knowledge, their stories, and their enthusiasm for building stronger food systems. I am also grateful to my colleagues that provided support and endorsed my participation in this program while continuing to work. I had many supports in my personal life as I attempted to balance being a student, a volunteer, a professional, and still a human being over the last five years. Thank you to my friends and family for being so accommodating and understanding, and to Laura for her patience, compassion, and support for me in completing this project. THE ROLE OF RESTAURANTS IN VICTORIA’S FOOD SYSTEM 8 Introduction Victoria is a municipality and the economic centre of the broader Capital Regional District (CRD) on southern Vancouver Island. Food policy work occurs at the municipal level in Victoria and neighbouring municipalities (District of Saanich, 2016), and at the regional level in the CRD (Capital Regional District, 2016). The City of Victoria aims to “optimize the many recreational, health, civic and local economic benefits that flow from a stronger local food system” (City of Victoria, 2012, p.115). Use of the term local in regards to food is varied and contested, and in Victoria, food described as local can include food from the Saanich Peninsula, other parts of Vancouver Island, and the rest of British Columbia (B.C.)