Lorelei L. Hanson

Environmental Justice across the Rural Canadian Prairies: Agricultural Restructuring, Seed Production and the Farm Crisis

Abstract Much of the work completed thus far on environmental justice has focused on environmental issues that unfairly affect politically disenfranchised communities in the US. The farm crisis occurring across the Canadian Prairies is at a fundamental level, also a matter of social and environmental justice. Environmental justice, in an agricultural context, refers not only to the siting and operation of intensive livestock facilities but more broadly relates to the concerns of many about the contemporary reorganization of agriculture. Using a case study of recent developments in plant breeding and seed production, I will discuss some of the broad trends occurring across the Canadian prairies in agriculture and rural areas as issues of environmental justice.

Can public engagement democratize environmental policymaking in a resource-dependent state? Comparative case studies from Alberta, Canada

ABSTRACT What factors shape the democratic potential of public consultation in environmental policymaking? Here, the motivations, purposes, designs, and outcomes of recent public engagement on land use planning, climate change policy, and water resource management in Alberta, Canada are reviewed in order to show how the power dynamics of the political and economic context shape the democratic potential of public and stakeholder consultations, especially where dominant resource interests are at stake. At the same time, political leadership, interactions between civil society actors and key design elements are shown to be important to democratization.

Creating New Urban Spaces of Sustainability and Governmentality: An Assessment of the Development of a Food and Urban Agriculture Strategy for Edmonton, Canada

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this chapter is to explore the potential of urban agriculture (UA) as a tool for advancing urban sustainability. Methodology/approach The chapter is based on participatory action case research focused on the development of an urban food policy in Edmonton, Canada from 2008 to 2013. Three data gathering techniques were employed: participant observation, semi-structured interviewing, and document analysis, and the data was analyzed using a grounded theory approach that including coding for themes and triangulation. We also draw on the work of critical sustainability scholars to outline the propensity for innovative work on local food initiatives to follow the same development path as many urban sustainability initiatives that foreclose political debate and reinforce the status quo. Findings The research data reveals that despite initial progressive changes in municipal policy, promising innovative food system planning, in the end Edmonton’s city council were largely driven by a development agenda. Originality/value In discussing both the successes and remaining challenges for Edmonton, this case study offers instructive lessons for many municipalities about key factors required for moving urban sustainability forward, specifically with respect to capitalizing on the innovative integrative functions of food for organizing communities and building capacity but also in moving beyond technocratic systems of management and planning to advance a paradigm shift toward building urban food security.

Identifying opportunities and hurdles for food security: a critical examination of the City of Edmonton's food and agriculture strategy

Local food has emerged as a popular social movement across much of the developed world. While many are quick to see it as a challenge to the dominant agri-food system, some critical social scientists caution against assuming its transformative potential. Using a case study of the development of a food and urban agriculture strategy in Edmonton, Canada, we explore both the transformative potential of local urban food initiatives and the hurdles faced in trying to move beyond maintaining the status quo. Utilising survey data and semi-structured interviews, we examine how citizens and stakeholders conceptualise sustainability and a more sustainable food system emerging in Edmonton, and identify the leverage points within these imaginings for long-term local food system transformation.