Mission

The McGill Food Systems Project aims to nurture the connection between students and the food that they consume to achieve a more sustainable, transparent food system at McGill through applied student research, community engagement and stakeholder collaboration.

Our Goals

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To have an increasing amount of applied student research coordinated through McGill Faculties and Schools

These 3 or 6 credit classes allows students in Agriculture, Dietetics, Management, Food science, Environment, Architecture, Engineering, etc, to apply their knowledge, energy and time to help improve our University’s operations. Currently, such research has allowed Food and Dining Services to make better-informed purchasing decisions and influence practices of other stakeholders throughout the supply chain. Having students take ownership of the improvements occurring in our University is a way to sustain engagement. Furthermore, having students learn about their campus food supply chain through research and peer-to-peer exchanges, as is being done through MFSP projects, truly enables them to revitalize their relationship with the food they consume

To help direct students towards surrounding Montreal organizations to create a stronger, more resilient community

In creating a guide to and map of Alternative Montreal, we aim to introduce first year students to the engagement opportunities Montreal has to offer. By using the map, students can easily find and encourage local restaurants that take pride in serving social and environmental information along with their meals.  Volunteer for an organization that contributes to strengthening the social climate of its neighborhood or even support the efforts of a local brewery.

To expand the educational opportunities at the university outside the classroom

The MFSP’s vision is to reconnect the campus community to a food system from which they can be proud to eat. One way to ensure a larger shift towards a sustainable food system is to engage and educate the students, faculty and staff on such issues. The MFSP uses creative media and events to promote education about our food system.  Local Food Days, which occur in each of the resident cafeterias 9 times per year, are days where produce, meat, dairy, eggs, and grain products in season, are source locally by McGill Food and Dining. LFDs are forums for discussion and interaction, which celebrate regional food and culture.

To institutionalize the purchasing behaviour that transforms our food supply chain

The information gained through student research and strengthened community ties are being well received and integrated into FDS' current purchasing practices.  To promote long-term change, we seek for ways to guarantee the ongoing evolution of MFSP initiatives by having the FDS take ownership of and responsibility for sustainability projects. For example, we have had the privilege to sit on the committee in charge of writing the contracts allocated to McGill's food service providers and distributors. Doing so allowed for a number of sustainability criteria to become legally binding and such documentation is an asset that can be reused for years to come. We have also developed and coordinated the implementation of a sustainable purchasing position within the administration of Food and dining services. This person will assist the executive chef in his purchasing decision while emphasizing and uncovering opportunities for sustainable sourcing.