In consultation with Dr. Wanda Martin, I refreshed and updated the Food by Ward infographics we originally created for the Saskatoon Food Council in 2016. The purpose of these infographics is to serve as a resource for the Saskatoon Poverty Reduction Council’s community advocacy when looking at accessibility and equitable access to food resources across Saskatoon’s different electoral wards. The final product is available on the Action of Saskatoon’s Urban Agriculture Plan’s website (https://urbanagresearchsk.wordpress.com/food-by-ward-saskatoonhttps://urbanagresearchsk.wordpress.com/food-by-ward-saskatoon/).

Abstract: The Garden Patch—an urban agriculture program of the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre (SFBLC)—relies on corporate and individual donations in a time of growing austerity. The SFBLC does an excellent job of communicating programs to donors, but they had not previously completed a return-on-investment analysis. A social return on investment evaluation study for the 2018 growing season provided guidance on the most significant impact of the organization’s strategic objectives and provided an additional tool to communicate the program’s value to donors and the community. This work indicates the monetary value of social benefits gained from the investments made to the SFBLC for its urban agriculture program. Data sources included harvest data, volunteer logs, budget, and workshop attendance; key informant interviews with community members, volunteers, and staff; and community-based telephone and online surveys. It also included in-person surveys with community members accessing food hampers. With feedback from stakeholders, we measured the most valued program outcomes. The inputs and resources to run the Garden Patch were valued at CA$96,474 in 2018.[1] The outputs were vegetables for food hampers, gardening skills, physical and psychological health, and work and educational experiences. Outcomes were valued using financial proxies. For each outcome, the deadweight, attribution, and displacement were considered and discounted to calculate the impact value of $155,419. The final calculation is expressed as a ratio of present value divided by the value of inputs. We conservatively estimate a $1.61 of social value created for every dollar invested in the Garden Patch. We also analyze this method in the context of the current societal neoliberal paradigm, recognizing that there is much work to be done to advance food security and social justice.

Abstract: Urban hen keeping is one means for local food production, allowing for control over the supply. Many Canadian cities allow urban hens, while others are opposed to this form of urban agriculture. The purpose of this research was to understand the controversy of urban hens to support communities facing challenging futures. We report on the qualitative portion of a stepwise mixed methods study of 15 urban residents. Data consisted of semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis derived from open coding and selective coding based on a system change conceptual framework. Three main discourse areas on the struggle with urban hen bylaws included education on urban agriculture, differing values and visions for city life, and tensions between individual rights and the collective good.

Abstract: Urban agriculture is a means to improve community health and reduce health inequities. It encourages civic participation in food system governance and offers citizens opportunities to explore concepts of food sovereignty within an urban setting. The objective of this study was to engage civic participation in developing an urban agriculture action plan for a Canadian prairie city. The purpose was to identify the short- and long-term goals and the barriers and facilitators to growing more food in the city.

Along with Dr. Wanda Martin and the Saskatoon Food Council, I created a community resource outlining access to food resources in the various electoral wards in Saskatoon. This was made freely accessible to the public on the Saskatoon Food Council’s website (http://saskatoonfood.ca/food-by-ward).