Food Loss & Waste

This young lady was in my daughter's class. She often stood outside our family home looking abandoned and anxious after being dropped off by her mother without any kind of call or discussion. It was becoming increasingly clear that she did not have enough to eat. Our family became a safe harbour for her – we would welcome her in and offer her sustenance. 

Every day, she collected a breakfast bar from the school’s reception area - sometimes her only source of nourishment for that day. But she was not alone. It’s hard to believe there are children in Canada who go hungry. But in Calgary alone, one out of three children go hungry every day in schools. 

Social justice is one of the pillars of the Catholic Women’s League (CWL) as well as being an essential aspect of our faith. All people are made in the image of God and so possess an equal and inalienable worth. Because of this essential dignity, each person has a right to all that is needed to allow him or her to live their full potential as intended by God.  

Food is an essential human right, yet too many people around the world are still going hungry. Hunger should not be an issue in a world of plenty – it's something that can be addressed and prevented with the dedication of resources and commitment to addressing the underlying causes.

It is our shared responsibility as global citizens and Christians to ensure that everyone has access to adequate food so that no one goes hungry. The Catholic Women’s League has been looking into ways to reduce food loss and waste as a possible solution.

But what is the difference between food loss and waste, you may ask?

Food loss takes place at production, postharvest and during the processing and distribution stages, as well as waste from hotels, restaurants, and institutions. 82% of food loss and waste is created in these sectors. Food waste happens at the retail and consumer food level. They represent 18% of food loss and waste.

​In Canada, 11.8 million metric tonnes or 32% of food loss and waste is totally avoidable, and this has been costing Canadians $49.5 billion dollars annually, equating to 3% of Canada’s Gross Domestic Product. 

If this food loss and waste was redirected, it would feed every Canadian for almost 5 months!

We know that fighting hunger requires much more than just providing food. The root causes of food loss and waste that occurs in Canada is a culture of accepting food loss and waste. 

Four million Canadians have insufficient access to food. We need to support children and families not just with food but with societal change that develops sustainable solutions for reducing and redirecting food loss and waste in Calgary and Canada to feed those who are hungry.

In 2022, the National Catholic Women’s League passed a Resolution at their National Convention urging the Federal Government to enact federal legislation to reduce food loss and waste in the agri-food industry, including the industrial, commercial, and institutional sectors. 

• Reducing food loss and waste at each step along the food supply chain can save Canadians money, approximately $110 billion annually. This number includes the water, land and energy resources used to produce food. 
• Secondly, closing the gaps in food loss and waste is critical in addressing Canada’s food security and sustainability. 
• Thirdly, law would provide a guiding framework that would guide and coordinate change across the Canadian food Agri supply chain. Presently, no ministry or level of government has ultimate responsibility or accountability for food loss and waste.

Please consider uniting with the CWL membership in addressing the issue of FLW in Canada. The following link provides templated letters to the Prime Minister of Canada as well as federal Ministers who hold portfolios that could create and change legislation to apply a coordinated and integrated approach that adds value and a life cycle solution to food loss and waste.  

A letter is also templated to the Premier of Alberta. No postage is necessary to send any of the letters. (Click here to access the letter templates)

Let's work together to make a difference this Lenten season! Signing a joint letter to both the federal and provincial governments urging them to reduce food loss and waste, will help secure our Canadian food supply and feed the hungry. By taking this action, we can create a positive impact toward eliminating food insecurity in Canada. Together we can make an invaluable contribution to society and make a lasting change that will benefit those in need for years to come.

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Written by Jeannette Nixon for Faithfully. Jeannette Nixon is a wife to Bill Hannah of 41 years, mother to her amazing daughter Catherine, and grandmother to adorable grandson Casey. She  is a member of St. Patrick's Parish in Calgary.  She has completed Masters of Theological Studies  from Newman Theological College in Edmonton, and Masters of Sacred Art from Pontifex University in Atlanta, Georgia. Jeannette spearheaded the food loss and waste resolution with a team of CWL Members from St. Patrick's Parish in Calgary. In her spare time, Jeannette likes to create sacred art, advocate for food loss and waste, sew and participate in aqua lane walking. She loves being a Catholic and tries to emulate the CWL motto - Catholic and living it!
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If you would like a presentation on FLW with your CWL Council or your Parish, please contact Jeannette at [email protected].

Written by Jeanette Nixon
​March 20, 2023