People across Canada are struggling to afford groceries, yet 2.3 million tonnes of edible food are apparently being wasted yearly.
, an organization focused on sustainable waste practices, says 63 per cent of food Canadians threw out so far this year could have been eaten. Wasteful food practices also cost Canadians more than $20 billion annually, according to the council.
At a time when food is more expensive than ever due to inflation, some organizations are trying to tackle this problem by helping companies that have surplus food reduce waste while helping consumers save money at the same time.
Here鈥檚 a look at how this is being achieved.
Too Good To Go, a global organization that launched across Canada in 2021, acts as a liaison between consumers and businesses.
Country manager Sam Kashani says the company has an app that connects people with local restaurants, hotels and stores.
鈥淭here are so many businesses across the country that have surplus food and may not have an avenue to either have the food land at a donation facility through the logistics, or the sum is so little that, ultimately, it just doesn't make sense to drive a truck there and pick it up,鈥 he told CTVNews.ca.
When a consumer opens the app, they are greeted by a map showing a variety of businesses in their area with "surprise bags."
These are packages the businesses put together of surplus inventory. A variety of food, depending on the business, is inside. Kashani says all surprise bags are sold for one-third of the valued cost.
鈥淵ou get a collection of surplus food at a great discount, and for that reason, the business wins, because they get their food collected and make some incremental revenue instead of throwing it out,鈥 Kashani said. 鈥淭he consumer wins because they get perfectly healthy, delicious food at a fraction of the cost they normally would have paid for it.鈥
Shira McDermott, co-founder of a Vancouver flour mill and bakery called Flourist, says Too Good To Go has been an attraction for new customers.
鈥淚t's a nice way for people to discover our products and get some deals,鈥 she said to CTVNews.ca.
Flourist will package up extra baked goods in its surprise bags. McDermott says the retail value of the goods is around $23 (the customer pays about $7) and they can be shared by a family of four.
鈥淚t's usually a selection of cookies, pastries and maybe some bread,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a really good opportunity to try day-old baking.鈥
Second Harvest is Canada鈥檚 largest food rescue organization and works with companies and logistics operators to bring surplus food to Canadians.
鈥淲e do third-party logistics across the whole country,鈥 Lori Nikkel, CEO of Second Harvest, told CTVNews.ca. 鈥淏ut on top of that, we look at what systemic challenges even allow this to happen in the first place. Why do we have so much food loss and waste? And how much do we have?鈥
Second Harvest started in 1985 with two Toronto women who wanted to make a difference in their community. About seven years ago, the company started investing in research while expanding across Canada and focusing on lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
The goal is simple: bring food that would otherwise go to waste to communities and organizations that can use it.
Food banks are staples when it comes to accessing food, but Nikkel says there is a whole other network of organizations hidden from the public鈥檚 view that can also benefit from reclaimed food.
These are the organizations Second Harvest focuses on.
鈥淭here are 61,000 places that are providing food to people and nonprofits across the country,鈥 she said, adding that those are in addition to the network of 4,500 food banks. 鈥淭hey're small, grassroots or midsize, but they're just overlooked.鈥
Nikkel explains these organizations include senior centres, shelters, recreational facilities, school nutrition programs and religious institutions.
鈥淭heir core focus isn't food, but food is what brings people together. You will attract more people because there's food, (so) get them the healthy food,鈥 she said.
Through organizations like Second Harvest and Too Good To Go, less food is being wasted. But there is some food that cannot be given to humans 鈥 think squished produce, stale bread and corn husks.
That is where companies such as Loop come in.
鈥淟oop exists as a third party to make sure food goes somewhere good,鈥 Jaime White, Loop鈥檚 director of new projects, told CTVNews.ca.
White works with companies like Second Harvest to continue the reclaimed food cycle. If a company has surplus products, Second Harvest will take edible food and bring it to charities. Loop will take any leftover food and find farms to take it.
The company began when a small group of farmers from Dawson Creek, B.C., wanted to source low-priced food for livestock and reduce environmental impacts. They asked a local grocery store if the company would donate its leftover products that weren鈥檛 selling.
White says the store could not because of the 鈥渓iability鈥 issues it could face if something went wrong. That is when Loop came to fruition, addressing what the local store needed and what the farmers wanted.
Wilbur, Larry and Nancy are the three pigs benefiting from the bulk of the pumpkins, and the advantages are nothing to snort at. (Carla Shynkaruk/CTV Saskatoon)
Loop has since grown across the country and is partnering businesses with farms to eliminate food waste.
White says the company鈥檚 costs are cheaper than garbage pick-up and its services allow less food to be wasted. It acts as a middle organization, directing where food should go and educating farmers on what they can feed animals.
White believes food should feed people first and animals second, and says he's seen the impact Loop can have when dealing with humans鈥 leftovers.
鈥淵ou have never seen a happier pig than a pig in pumpkin pie,鈥 White said. 鈥淓verything has a home on the farm somewhere.鈥
The amount of waste produced daily by Canadians is staggering, with mostly vegetables and fruits being thrown away. Food waste is any byproduct of an edible source 鈥 for example, banana peels, rotten or mouldy food and stale baked goods. estimates each day Canadians throw away equal to 130,000 heads of lettuce, 2.6 million potatoes, 650,000 loaves of bread and 1 million cups of milk.
According to , a University of Toronto report on food insecurity in Canada conducted in 2021, 15.9 per cent of households across the country experienced some level of food insecurity at some point in the previous 12 months.
鈥淭his high rate of household food insecurity has persisted through the past three years, with little change from 2019 to 2021,鈥 the report reads. 鈥淒espite the systematic monitoring of food insecurity since 2005, this problem has not gotten any better.鈥
In response to pandemic supply chain disruptions and the increasing amount of people going hungry, the Canadian Government launched the . It gave $50 million in one-time funding to several reclaim food organizations like Second Harvest, which received $11 million from the initiative. Nikkel says the program was impactful, aiding producers, communities and environmental initiatives.
鈥淐urrently there are no plans to continue the Surplus Food Rescue Program,鈥 a spokesperson from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada said. 鈥淯nder the Surplus Food Rescue Program, more than 1 million dozen eggs and over 7 million kilograms of surplus food due to COVID-19 disruptions were redistributed to food banks and community food organizations.鈥
A $2.14-billion federal loan for an Ottawa-based satellite operator has Canadian politicians arguing about whether American billionaire Elon Musk poses a national security risk.
Specialist divers surveying the wreckage of the US$40 million superyacht that sank off Sicily in August, killing seven people including British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, have asked for heightened security to guard the vessel, over concerns that sensitive data locked in its safes may interest foreign governments, multiple sources told CNN.
Twenty-seven year 麻豆影视 reporter and anchor John Vennavally-Rao shares his story of what it was like to have an ostomy bag as part of his health-care battle. 'I鈥檓 grateful for what it did to extend my life,' he writes in a personal column for CTVNews.ca.
The British Columbia election campaign is set to officially start today, with Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin issuing the writ for the Oct. 19 vote.
A northern Ontario man is facing a $12,000 fine after illegally shooting a moose near the Batchawan River.
A new study is adding to emerging research showing that exposure to metals such as cadmium, uranium and copper may also be associated with the leading cause of death worldwide, cardiovascular disease.
Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Mont茅r茅gie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.
The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah announced that it fired a barrage of missiles at a military base deep inside Israel early Sunday following an Israeli airstrike more than a day earlier that killed at least 37 people, including one of the militant group鈥檚 senior leaders as well as women and children.
A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.
A six-year-old girl who was reported missing in northern B.C. earlier this week remains unaccounted for, and "significant resources from across the province" have joined in the search, police said Saturday.
Volunteers and staff members gathered along Vancouver鈥檚 Stanley Park Seawall Saturday to pick up litter as part of International Coastal Cleanup Day.
A heritage home in Vancouver suffered "extensive damage" in a fire that broke out late Saturday morning, according to firefighters.
A 23-year-old man has been arrested after one person was found dead at a home in Richmond Hill Saturday morning.
Toronto police are investigating a shooting in Scarborough that left one person injured Saturday night.
Toronto police say they have now identified a third person who they believe was involved in a shooting that left two men dead in North York earlier this week.
Milla White from Cochrane literally drew her way into a meeting with former boxer and actor Mickey Rourke.
The water coming from your taps might be a bit murky Saturday, but Calgary remains on schedule to end all water restrictions on Sunday.
For 12 hours Saturday Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPCK) employees, service personnel and corporate teams rode spin bikes to raise funds and awareness for charities focusing on housing homeless veterans in Canada and the U.S.
A potential move to LeBreton Flats for the Ottawa Senators is still years away, but questions and concerns are already being raised about what to do with the Canadian Tire Centre.
The Taste of Wellington 2024 wraps up Saturday in Ottawa.
A body has been found in the vicinity where a woman went missing on the Ottawa River near Pembroke, Ont. while kayaking Tuesday night, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
Montrealers can get used to taking a stroll on several car-free streets during the summer in the years to come thanks to a new commitment from the city.
Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.
Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Mont茅r茅gie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.
The Edmonton Police Service is looking for a person of interest in connection with a suspicious fire that destroyed a multi-unit building and damaged several townhomes earlier this week.
Tattoos are becoming more common in today's society and, as a result, appear to be more acceptable in the workplace than they used to be.
Two people have been charged after a daylight shooting in Red Deer earlier this week.
Halifax Regional Police warned the public of a series of high-value thefts targeting retail stores Friday.
Pictou County District RCMP is investigating a fatal crash that occurred in Thorburn, N.S., Saturday.
A proposal for additional parking to accommodate upgrades at the Irving Pulp & Paper Mill in Saint John, N.B., would add an estimated 500 parking spots at Wolastoq Park.
The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.
A herd of dogs paid visit to patients and residents at Riverview Health Centre during an annual event that lifts spirits and wags tails.
While slang may come and go, experts say the phenomenon behind them, which constantly churns out brand-new bon mots, is as old as language itself.
Fire officials are investigating after a fire completely destroyed the community fridge in the Cathedral neighborhood.
The last two months after losing her daughter Bella have been extremely difficult for Kyla Thomson.
Regina police arrested three youths in connection to a bear mace incident at a Regina high school on Friday.
The Cambridge Professional Fire Fighters鈥 Association held their annual Muscular Dystrophy Boot Drive on Saturday.
Protests were held in front of Kitchener City Hall on Friday, both for and against LGBTQ2S+ inclusive education and queer rights in schools.
Police said the pedestrian, a 52-year-old man, was taken to an out-of-region hospital with life-threatening injuries and the driver of the vehicle failed to remain at the scene.
The 75-year-old building, formerly the Waskesiu Chamber of Commerce building, was relocated to the Parks Canada compound on the edge of the townsite.
Saskatchewan RCMP major crimes unit is investigating after a man鈥檚 body was found on Sweetgrass First Nation.
Motors were roaring, and tires were spinning as Saskatoon's biggest names in motocross gathered together for the 50-year anniversary of the club's founding on Saturday.
Ontario鈥檚 police watchdog is investigating after an Ontario Provincial Police officer discharged his firearm at a 36-year-old man in near Moonbeam, Ont., on Friday night.
For some young people, a popular method for getting a quick high is by misusing laughing gas 鈥 and lately, that鈥檚 in the form of nitrous oxide from products sold by the company Galaxy Gas.
An Ontario woman is among the dozens of people who have come forward to allege that they were sexually abused by London-based businessman Mohamed Al Fayed, the former chairman and owner of Harrods.
A motorcyclist has died following a serious collision that took place in London鈥檚 south end on Friday afternoon.
The London Police Service (LPS) is currently investigating a suspicious death in the east end.
The St. Thomas police is asking the public for help locating a missing man.
The Barrie Skateboard Association (BSA) hosted a unique competition at the City's Skate Park on Saturday to celebrate its 25th anniversary, which showcased the park's importance and the growth of skateboarding in the region.
A man is facing numerous drug trafficking charges after Dufferin OPP seized a large assortment of drugs and weapons in Orangeville earlier this week.
One person is in hospital after an e-bike crash in Orillia on Thursday.
The Amherstburg Freedom Museum is celebrating a year of festivities in anticipation of its 50th anniversary in 2025.
The St. Clair College golf teams were successful at the Niagara Knights Invitational tournament on Friday.
A LaSalle high school is celebrating its emerald anniversary this weekend, with everyone who has ever walked its halls invited to return.
A man who was found dead behind a curling rink in Nanaimo, B.C., earlier this month was the victim of a homicide, police confirmed.
A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.
A six-year-old girl who was reported missing in northern B.C. earlier this week remains unaccounted for, and "significant resources from across the province" have joined in the search, police said Saturday.
A pair of runaway pigs are in the custody of an animal sanctuary in the Okanagan after evading police and volunteers for hours earlier this week.
The Red Bridge, a historic landmark in Kamloops, B.C., was completely destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.
Animal protection officers in British Columbia have rescued three pit bulls 鈥 including one that gave birth to 10 puppies 鈥 from a rat-infested home in Kelowna.
Despite the heavy rain, plenty of muscle turned up for United Way鈥檚 annual Pull the Bus fundraiser in Lethbridge Friday.
Lethbridge County has rescinded its fire restriction as a result of the recent cool, wet weathr.
The Lethbridge Hurricanes kicked off the 2024-25 season on a winning note Friday night, defeating the Edmonton Oil Kings 3-1 in a game played at VisitLethbridge.com Arena.
A northern Ontario man is facing a $12,000 fine after illegally shooting a moose near the Batchawan River.
Following an outbreak of COVID-19 on its continuing care floor and just ahead of the flu season, St. Joseph鈥檚 General Hospital in Elliot Lake has opted to re-introduce a universal masking policy until further notice.
A 26-year-old driver from Surrey, B.C., has been charged with three counts of criminal negligence causing death and bodily harm in a crash that killed two youths in northern Ontario last year.
Newfoundland and Labrador's chief medical officer is monitoring the rise of whooping cough infections across the province as cases of the highly contagious disease continue to grow across Canada.
A 16-year-old biennial event aimed at fostering business in the country's eastern Arctic and northern regions has been cancelled indefinitely as a dispute unfolds between Inuit in Canada and a Labrador group claiming to share their heritage.
Jim Lester鈥檚 farm hopped on the cow-cuddling trend in early August, and his time slots have been pretty well sold out ever since.
Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.
Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.
An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.
They say a dog is a man鈥檚 best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.
A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.
Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.
The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.
It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.
A $2.14-billion federal loan for an Ottawa-based satellite operator has Canadian politicians arguing about whether American billionaire Elon Musk poses a national security risk.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly says close to 45,000 Canadians are in Lebanon, months after warning there is no guarantee Ottawa can evacuate them if the situation deteriorates further.
The federal firearm buyback program has cost taxpayers nearly $67.2 million since it was announced in 2020, but it still hasn't collected a single gun.
A new study is adding to emerging research showing that exposure to metals such as cadmium, uranium and copper may also be associated with the leading cause of death worldwide, cardiovascular disease.
For some young people, a popular method for getting a quick high is by misusing laughing gas 鈥 and lately, that鈥檚 in the form of nitrous oxide from products sold by the company Galaxy Gas.
Looking after an adult with severe autism can be a full-time job. Ask any parent who has a child severely affected by autism spectrum disorder 鈥 it鈥檚 a job that can get more difficult as the child becomes an adult.
If something looks too good to be true, it might be. That's the message from Saskatchewan horticulturists after customers have come into their stores hoping to buy purple apple trees this month.
The owner of the shuttered Three Mile Island nuclear power plant said Friday that it plans to restart the reactor under a 20-year agreement that calls for tech giant Microsoft to buy the power to supply its data centers with carbon-free energy.
Lebanese authorities on Thursday banned walkie-talkies and pagers from being taken on flights from Beirut airport, the National News Agency reported, after thousands of such devices exploded during a deadly attack on Hezbollah this week.
Kathryn Crosby, who appeared in such movies as 'The 7th Voyage of Sinbad', 'Anatomy of a Murder,' and 'Operation Mad Ball' before marrying famed singer and Oscar-winning actor Bing Crosby, has died. She was 90.fff
'Saturday Night Live' will have a slew of famous faces to help kick off its historic 50th season when the show returns later this month.
The death of the Tragically Hip鈥檚 lead singer Gord Downie united fans across Canada in their grief, but in many ways pulled his bandmates apart.
It is not a great time to be a coffee drinker. In general, coffee bean prices are the highest they've been in more than a decade.
The maker of the popular party game Cards Against Humanity is accusing Elon Musk's SpaceX of trespassing on and damaging a plot of vacant land the company owns in Texas.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says a recall of Nutrabolics brand Feed Me Vegan Real Food Protein & Oats bars due to undeclared milk has been expanded.
Tattoos are becoming more common in today's society and, as a result, appear to be more acceptable in the workplace than they used to be.
The end of the day 鈥 when school, extracurricular activities and homework are (hopefully) finally done 鈥 is the window that many kids have for downtime. It can be a struggle to convince them not to go on their phones.
While slang may come and go, experts say the phenomenon behind them, which constantly churns out brand-new bon mots, is as old as language itself.
Jonathan Aranda homered for the second consecutive game, helping Taj Bradley and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Saturday.
Kiefer Sherwood spent several nights last spring chasing Quinn Hughes around the ice and generally pestering the Vancouver Canucks.
Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.
General Motors (GM) has issued a recall for 38,000 vehicles for safety risks related to a software glitch, Transport Canada reported in a notice on Wednesday.
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has accused Tesla CEO Elon Musk of 'remotely disabling' his Cybertruck, which had been sent to the frontline of Russia's war in Ukraine.
An Ontario man says it is 'unfair' to pay a $1,500 insurance surcharge because his four-year-old SUV is at a higher risk of being stolen.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at 麻豆影视. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.聽Read about us.
