<aside> ‼️ Team 1-D Proposed Solution
Team 1-D Proposed Solution → Ottawa Sustainability Network Accelerator Program, Ottawa
<aside> 🍎 By: Bilal Yousuf, Maxime Amirault & Nusrath Syed
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<aside> 📽️ Team 1D - Ottawa Sustainability Network Accelerator Program, Ottawa
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<aside> 🍎 Team OSNAP
Maxime Amirault
Nusrath Syed
Bilal Yousuf
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<aside> ℹ️ Food sustainability and affordability are challenges in Ottawa because the high cost of living in recent years has made it difficult for low-income households to access nutritious foods (Graham & Coja, 2022). The lack of local food production and limited access to fresh, healthy and affordable food can be linked to the city’s reliance on food imports, lack of facilitating partnerships between local non-profit organizations and the government, and lack of food waste management. Low-income households then must rely on food banks and social assistance programs such as Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program which are short-term solutions (Rizvi et al., 2022). Considering there are various organizations directed at assisting those in need and a multitude of resources available throughout Ottawa, there appears to be a lack of efficient integration to ensure the supportive reach and use of resources.
Statistics on low income in Ottawa Infographics
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By creating a hub that connects key stakeholders, such as consumers, food producers, and government officials, we can optimize the use of resources and design solutions tailored to the cultural, dietary, medical, and social needs for people of low socio-economic status. Through the use of a feedback supported approach, curated solutions that fit and synergize the collective needs of stakeholders can be constructed. Financial and agricultural education can play a crucial role in lowering prices and improving access to nutritious foods in the long-term. Technical viability is implemented by utilizing existing infrastructure like Ottawa's Bayview Yards and digital communication tools. It is also financially viable, as it incorporates cost-saving measures including collaborative resource sharing and optimization of existing infrastructure,. Partnering with organizations like Bayview Yards and utilizing existing transportation networks can help reduce costs and improve accessibility. The proposed hub is socially acceptable, as it prioritizes the needs and preferences of low-income households and promotes community involvement. Our solution is environmentally sustainable, as it promotes sustainable food production and waste reduction.
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Food Climate Resource Network
<aside> ℹ️ To implement the solution, in-depth market research would be needed to clearly identify the different actors already in place. This would help us create a plan to branch out and link all motivated stakeholders in the food industry. Through this knowledge and understanding of the local context, acceptance and recognition from the community and all stakeholders could be gained to support our project. The focus should also be on proposing affordable food and lowering food insecurities, which is our top priority. In addition, securing funding and creating long-lasting partnerships are other factors to keep in mind during the implementation process. There may also be challenges in ensuring the sustainability of the solution over the long term, particularly if there are changes in government policies, stakeholder priorities, or economic conditions.
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<aside> ℹ️ "Ottawa Sustainability Network Accelerator Program"
<aside> 💡 The program would bring together stakeholders from the consumer, food producer/agricultural organization, and government groups to work collaboratively on addressing the issue of food sustainability and affordability in Ottawa.
The program would be designed to accelerate and facilitate communication between stakeholders, with a focus on developing and implementing innovative solutions.
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<aside> 💡 Key features of the program:
<aside> ℹ️ Ottawa Sustainability Network Accelerator Program would be designed to accelerate and facilitate communication among stakeholders, with a focus on developing and implementing innovative solutions to the problem of food sustainability and affordability in Ottawa.
We aim to build it similar to the Y-Combinator, an American technology startup accelerator program b
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