This week in Canadian food news, the headlines were a mixed bag as usual, but the two that received the most attention have raised serious cause for concern.
In Toronto, a popular family-owned Syrian restaurant was forced to suddenly close after a week of receiving a series of death threats and hateful messages. In a statement to the public, the Alsoufi family explained that the decision to close was to protect the wellbeing of the family, staff, and patrons. The death threats began after a relative of the family was involved in a protest at a Maxime Bernier speaking event in Hamilton.
Greenpeace released this year’s report on plastic pollution and while the list of Canada’s top polluting corporations wasn’t exactly shocking, the numbers within the report were. The report revealed that less than 9 per cent of plastic waste gets recycled, 86 per cent of plastic waste ends up in a landfill, and that the Canadian oil industry plans to increase plastic production by 40 per cent in the next decade.
Here are seven stories you might have missed in food news this week.
Popular Toronto restaurant closes after series of death threats
A popular Syrian restaurant in Toronto recently announced it will be closing permanently after receiving a series of death threats and other hateful messages. The owners have stated that the decision to close was the only logical course of action to protect the safety of the family, staff and patrons. The death threats began after a relative of the family was involved in a protest at a Maxime Bernier speaking event in Hamilton.
Find the full story at CBC News.
Greenpeace reveals Canada’s top plastic producers
From April to September, roughly 400 volunteers gathered plastic pollution from nine locations across Canada to determine what was being polluted and which companies the pollution derived from. The results revealed that Neslte, Tim Hortons, Starbucks, McDonald’s, and Coca-Cola topped the list of companies, while cigarette butts, bottles and caps, food wrappers, and straws were the most polluted plastic items.
Find the full report at Greenpeace.org.
Village Brewery’s Jim Button to raise $5 million for North America’s first chair in Pediatric Psychosocial Oncology and Survivorship
After receiving a diagnosis of terminal cancer in 2016, Village Brewery’s Jim Button has been on a mission to spread positivity, humour, and generosity through both personal interactions and community initiatives. Now, Button is planning to raise $5 million to secure North America’s first chair in Pediatric Psychosocial Oncology and Survivorship. The chair would gather the best minds in the field to research and develop a nationwide program to address and treat the needs of young cancer patients and their families.
Get the full story at the Calgary Herald.
14 New Brunswick schools found to be in violation of health and safety standards
Major and minor health and safety violations were found during inspections at 14 New Brunswick daycares, elementary schools, high schools, colleges, and universities. The violations ranged from not having a visible food handling certificate to broken dishwashers, to unsafe storage of chemicals. The majority of the schools will have until mid-October or the end of October to correct the problems.
Find the full story and the list of offenders at CBC News.
Fast-food chains intensify efforts to populate Canadian grocery stores
While restaurant chains making popular items available in grocery stores isn’t exactly a new strategy, the amount of restaurant fare in today’s grocery stores is increasing at an alarming rate as restaurants try to remain profitable in a relatively stagnant time for growth. Most recently, Tim Hortons introduced three of its soups and its chili to supermarkets across Canada.
Head to CTV News for more.
Normand Laprise weighs in on Canada’s absence from Michelin star list
The Ottawa Citizen recently spoke with renowned Montreal chef Normand Laprise to find out why Michelin stars have evaded Canada’s top restaurants. The celebrated owner of Toqué! shared a story about a 2015 trip to France where he and a handful of chefs cooked for all the two- and three-starred chefs of France and Italy. “We need this to happen more to other Canadian chefs,” Laprise told the newspaper.
Head to Ottawa Citizen for the full story.
Apps that help reduce food waste
CBC News recently highlighted two applications that have the potential to help users reduce food waste--particularly during Thanksgiving. Apps like Flashfood and Feedback can help to not only cut down on food waste and subsequent greenhouse gas emissions, but they can also offer the user a legitimate chance to save money.
Get the full breakdown at CBC News.
