The Indigenous Food Circle: Reconciliation and Resurgence through Food in Northwestern Ontario

Food policy councils provide a forum to address food systems issues and a platform for coordinated action among multisectoral stakeholders. While diverse in structure, most councils aim to develop democratic and inclusive processes to evaluate, influence, and establish integrated policy and programs for healthy, equitable, and sustainable food systems. The Thunder Bay and Area Food Strategy (TBAFS) is one such example that promotes regional food self-reliance, healthy environments, and thriving economies through the a * Corresponding author: Charles Z. Levkoe, Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Food Systems, Department of Health Sciences, Lakehead University; 955 Oliver Road; Thunder Bay, Ontario P7B 5E1 Canada; +1-807-346-7954; clevkoe@lakeheadu.ca b Lana Ray, Department of Indigenous Learning, Lakehead University; 955 Oliver Road; Thunder Bay, Ontario P7B 5E1 Canada; lray@lakeheadu.ca c Jessica Mclaughlin, Coordinator, Indigenous Food Circle; jessicamclaughlin82@gmail.com Disclosures The three authors have been involved with the development, ongoing governance, and research with the Indigenous Food Circle. Charles Levkoe and Lana Ray received research funding to support the development of the Indigenous Food Circle, and Jessica Mclaughlin worked as a paid co-coordinator for eight months leading up to the completion of this paper. These relationships are all discussed explicitly in the text of the