Public markets impact
climate action, .
Every neighbourhood should have them.
Afro-Caribean Farmer's Market, photo by Jonah Zapparoli
Market 707, photo by Scadding Court Community Centre
Toronto is hosting the 11th International Public Markets Conference, June 8th to 10.
Toronto boasts 105+ public diverse markets. They:
- Fill a mid-size public food distribution gap vital to our ability to supply food regionally.
- Stimulate hyper-local economies.
- Serve neighbourhoods.
- Have proven they can adapt through pandemics and supply-chain challenges.
But our public markets operate independently. And they have little capacity to collaborate or to advocate for the policies and resources they need to flourish.
That’s where we come in.
Market CityTO is on a mission to make Toronto's soul visible through its neighbourhood markets.
We work with Toronto’s intrepid market managers, vendors, city staff, researchers and policy-makers to activate the power of public markets.
Project for Public Spaces is excited to announce that Toronto will host the 11th International Public Markets Conference June 8-10, 2023.
Co-hosts: City of Toronto, St. Lawrence Market, and Market City TO.
Prototyping a new market model better suited to the urban context by adding two interconnected programs, Ontario Fresh Food Table & ScarbTO Mrkt Bucks, that enable more residents and entrepreneurs to participate and benefit.
Lead partner: Jennifer Forde, Scarborough and Courtyard Farmers' Market
Supported by: City of Toronto Economic Development Division and Golden Horseshoe Food and Farming Alliance.
An alternative exchange system benefitting residents’ income, food entrepreneurs, social inclusion, community health, prosperity, and resilience, belonging, and access to southern Ontario produce while keeping dollars circulating among Toronto and Ontario entrepreneurs.
Partners: Vision Quest/Red Onion Events, Golden Horseshoe Food & Farming Alliance, Feed Scarborough, Malvern Community Health Centre, Rising Sun Food Drive, St. Andrews Church - Scarborough, U. of T Scarborough Feeding City Lab.
Collaborate with market managers, vendors and city staff to:
- Refine the Market City TO strategy, Governance and business model.
- Ensure the organization serves stakeholders' needs while increasing their ownership and participation.
6 recommendations to support public markets and strengthen the mid-size food distribution infrastructure that enable regional food
marketcityTO coordinates, supports, and manages projects that:
- reduce friction and increase capcity for market managers and vendors.
- strengthen the market network and ecosystem at the municipal, regional, and provincial levels.
- develop the public market sector and the resilient regional public food distribution infrastructure our city needs.
Enable public markets to work more effectively. Increase knowledge and institutional capacity to better support public markets and demonstrate their impact.
Support current and build new public markets to increase equitable access to both economic opportunities and fresh, culturally appropiate locally-produced food, especially for those most impacted by systemic marginalization.
Build the public market infrastructure to enable the delivery of local and culturaly appropiate food.
Increase education about and promotion of public markets and their role in city building.
Help managers, operators, vendors, and regulators realize the industry’s full potential by investing in their professional development.
Integrate public markets into city and regional strategies.