Increasing Local Food Purchasing in Long-term Care Homes: Supporting Local Food Production and Processing in Ontario

Proposed research aims to put the transformation of local food procurement in the BPS on a more solid foundation by conducting an economic analysis of costs and impacts of increased local food procurement within long-term care (LTC) homes.

The results are intended to assist the province in:

1. Setting realistic goals for Broader Public Sector local food procurement in the Local Food Act; and

2. Providing support resources that will aid long-term care homes to achieve and surpass set goals within their budgets.

The research methodology follows a multi-case study design and rests on dedicated project team members assisting staff of participating LTC homes with data collection on current food procurement practices, exploring opportunities for change, implementing and managing change, and tracking the impacts of proposed changes to purchasing processes. Given the time constraints of LTC staff involved in meal plan development and food procurement, it would not be possible to recruit participants without this dedicated support. The strategy for data collection and analysis is based on an iterative process of consultations, individual and focus group interviews in order to develop new purchasing processes and support materials that align with the participants' goals and policies.