Engaging with Revelstoke’s Local Government Melissa Hemphill, Food Security Coordinator Community Connections (Revelstoke) Society mhemphill@communityconnections.ca

Our Focus Implementation of recommendations from the 2014 Revelstoke Food Security Strategy The Team at Community Connections: Food Security Coordinator Director of Community Outreach Community Food Outreach Coordinator

The work is guided by a Food Security Advisory Committee with representatives from: Interior Health City Council City Community Economic Development City Environmental Coordinator School District 19 Revelstoke Local Food Initiative Society

Our Funding Community Initiative Program (yearly) Community Food Action Initiative (in year 2 of 3)

Making powerful friends municipal - provincial - federal

Municipal - City Council Invited City Councilors to help create a Revelstoke Food Charter in 2013, Then invited them to be on the Food Security Strategy Steering Committee in 2014, And continue to engage with one of the same councilors through the Food Security Advisory Committee Bi-yearly presentations to Council on food security work.

Municipal - City Staff Director of Economic Development (City staff) took the momentum from the Revelstoke Food Charter to find funding (REFBC) to create the Revelstoke Food Security Strategy in 2014 Same person found funding (IH-CFAI) in 2016 for the implementation of the strategy (contracted to Com. Con.) Their successor now sits on the Food Security Advisory Committee along with the City Environmental Coordinator

Municipal - Committees Food Security Coordinator sits on the City Healthcare Advisory Committee And on the Community Futures Board of Directors Colleagues sit on the Poverty Reduction Working Group and the City Social Development Committee

Provincial Arranged meeting through the MLA’s office Met with previous MLA, Norm Macdonald in 2015 Powerpoint presentation on the work of the Food Security Coordinator and the Local Food Initiative Invited to community events Will do the same with the new MLA, Doug Clovechok in coming months

Federal Met with our Member of Parliament, Wayne Stetski in 2017 Powerpoint presentation on the work of the Food Security Coordinator and the Local Food Initiative Toured the community gardens and Community Connections’ new Food Recovery Program Invite him to community events and share his petitions He shares our work in his newsletter and website and in parliament!

Key Lessons Learned

Invite the people of power to the table Meet them face-to-face Don’t be modest - showcase your successes! Be strategic in your involvement - join their committees that align with your work Make their appointment to your committee official - ie. through a letter to city hall requesting council representation Stay tuned-in to government work and speak up about food issues - don’t wait for someone else to Choose big impact, fool-proof projects that showcase your skills and ability to create change

What is next? Work with City staff on the new Official Community Plan, putting food security language everywhere possible Find the next big collaborative project that benefits a wide- range of citizens Engage with the regional district on land use issues Get food security work on the city books and off the backs of social service organizations

My big take-home message: CREATE RELATIONSHIPS!