The award-winning North Bay Farmers’ Market is featured in the just-released local food report from the provincial government.
The local market recently won the inaugural Farmers’ Markets Ontario “Award of Excellence, Market of the Year,” for the 2018 season.
According to The Faces of Ontario Local Food: 2018-2019 Local Food Report, The Local Food Act, 2013, established three goals to increase knowledge about local food. To encourage food literacy, the goals are to increase the number of Ontarians who:
- Know what local foods are available.
- Know how and where to obtain local foods.
- Prepare local food meals for family and friends and make local food more available through food service providers.
North Bay’s market is presented as an example of meeting these criteria.
From the report:
The market has taken a strong leadership position with respect to transparency, authenticity, and ensuring a truly local market with local economic impact. Farmer’s Markets Ontario’s MyPick® verification program provides assurance to consumers that the vendor they are buying from is selling what they have grown and made on their local farm. Beginning in 2012, all vendors at the North Bay Farmers’ Markets must live within 100 km and all producers must be MyPick® verified. It is the only market in northern Ontario that requires their [sic] members to be MyPick® verified. This helps to build public trust with their customers, so they can be confident in knowing where their food comes from and that it is from a local farmer.
Ernie Hardeman, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs writes in the report, “Local food is the heart of Ontario’s agri-food industry. It draws us together; whether it’s to share a meal, grow a business or collaborate on an innovation, local food feeds our communities as much as it feeds our families.”
Hardeman adds, “Ontario’s local food system is an important part of the province’s strong economy. When we know where our food comes from and support those who grow, harvest and make it, we strengthen our communities, support a sustainable environment, create jobs and boost the economy.”
The North Bay Farmers’ Market is now open for summer hours on Wednesdays from 10:00am until 2:00pm and Saturdays from 8:30am to 1:00pm.
The winter market, inside the North Bay Mall, recently wrapped up its third season, running from late October until late April.
