Normatively grounded in the ecological public health paradigm, this paper speaks to the role of public policy in addressing food and nutrition-related health challenges through a critical analysis of the 2019 Food Policy for Canada (FPC). We draw on primary data gathered through a SSHRC-funded Partnership Grant, Food: Locally Embedded, Globally Engaged (FLEdGE). Qualitative research methods include interviews with key stakeholders and policy makers, critical review of national food policy consultation documents, participant observation in government-, industry- and civil society-led conversations about the food policy, as well as an investigation of stakeholder responses to the FPC announcements of 2019. Our analysis focuses on how Canada’s new food policy: adopts an integrative, pan-Canadian approach; explicitly connects health and environmental dimensions of food; augments food security in a systematic way; addresses unique food security and health issues facing Indigenous Peoples; improves the health of food environments, such as those in Canada’s schools; and, meaningfully includes relevant stakeholders in food system governance. Against these expectations, we assert that the Food Policy for Canada does not yet provide an integrative, systems-based approach to addressing food and nutrition-related health issues consistent with the ecological public health approach, despite significant progress made. We conclude by proposing a research agenda for tracking Canada’s food policy implementation and development going forward.

Researchers should cite this work as follows:

• Andree, P., Ballamingie, P., Coulas, M., (2025), "Integrative Governance for Ecological Public Health: An Analysis of ‘Food Policy for Canada’ (2015-2019)", HSSCommons: (DOI: 10.15353/cfs-rcea.v8i2.450)

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1. ecological public health
2. food policy
3. Food Policy for Canada

Original publication: Andree, Peter; Ballamingie, Patricia; Coulas, Mary. "Integrative Governance for Ecological Public Health: An Analysis of ‘Food Policy for Canada’ (2015-2019)." Canadian Food Studies / La Revue canadienne des études sur l'alimentation, vol. 8, no. 2, 2021. DOI: 10.15353/cfs-rcea.v8i2.450. This material has been re-published in an unmodified form on the Canadian HSS Commons with the permission of Canadian Food Studies / La Revue canadienne des études sur l'alimentation. Copyright © the author(s). Work published in CFS/RCÉA prior to and including Vol. 8, No. 3 (2021) is licensed under the Creative Commons CC BY license. Work published in Vol. 8, No. 4 (2021) and after is licensed under the Creative Commons CC BY-SA license. For details, see creativecommons.org/licenses/.