3lbs of Surplus food redistributed
Food Waste and Insecurity in Canada
Did you know that $49 billion worth of food is wasted in Canada every year? That’s enough good to feed every person living in Canada for nearly five months! Second Harvest is a global thought leader on food recovery, our mission is to grow an efficient food recovery network to fuel people and reduce the environmental impacts of avoidable food waste.
Necessity
Healthy, nutritious meals for food-insecure Canadians
Activity
Preventing good surplus food from being wasted by collecting it and redistributing it to feed people in need.
Countable effort
Every good deed will allow 3 lbs of surplus food redistributed to feed people in need in Canada.
Result
With our good deed, over 11 thousand lbs of surplus food will be provided to our critical frontline organizations.
Systemic effect
By creating an efficient food supply chain, we are reducing our county's environmental footprint and feeding people experiencing hunger in Canada.
Background
Second Harvest is in the business of food rescue, and after more than three decades working on this problem, we know that there is much more that can be done. The amazing healthy and nutritious food we recover hides in plain sight: it is not waste; it is surplus that can’t be sold at market. We have found that nearly 60% of food produced for Canadians – or 35.5 million tonnes – is lost and wasted annually. [The Avoidable Crisis of Food Waste, 2019] While this food rots in landfill, we have found that an estimated 1.2 million households in Canada were food insecure. About 4.4 million people – including 1.4 million children – cannot access enough food. [Canada's Invisible Food Network, 2021] More than one-third of food charities in Canada forced to turn people away while bracing for new demand in 2024. In December 2023, Second Harvest surveyed more than 1,400 non-profit organizations with charitable food programs across Canada and asked them to predict the demand for their services in 2024. What we found is that these critical frontline organizations are expecting to see more than 1 million new people in need of food in 2024, and many are struggling to keep up with demand. [Hungry For Change, 2024]
The good deed
Food Rescue is the action of preventing good surplus food from being wasted by collecting it and redistributing it to feed people in need. We work with businesses across the food supply chain to reduce the amount of edible food going to waste, which in turn averts the release of millions of pounds of greenhouse gases. The food Second Harvest recovers is redirected to thousands of charities and non-profit organizations, ensuring more people have access to healthy food. We’re proud to support food rescue across Canada, rescuing food from coast to coast to coast, as we work towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production - By offering an avenue for food rescue, we’re encouraging businesses to waste less and develop responsible food supply chains. SDG 13: Climate Action - By getting surplus food to people, we reduce greenhouse gases created when food goes to landfill. SDG 2: Zero Hunger - Feeding people across our country.
About Canada
Ottawa
Canada’s population recently surpassed 40 million, and most of this growth is driven by immigration. In 2022 alone, we welcomed over 437,000 new permanent residents. This growth, combined with an aging population, puts additional demand on the country's food supply. Despite being one of the world’s top food exporters, food insecurity remains a significant issue. About 1 in 8 Canadian households (nearly 4.4 million people) face some level of food insecurity.
The service sector (finance, real estate, healthcare, education, and retail) is by far the largest contributor to Canada's GDP, accounting for over 70% of the total. Major urban centers such as Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal are key hubs for these industries. Canada’s GDP distribution varies significantly by region. Provinces like Alberta and Saskatchewan heavily rely on natural resources, particularly oil, gas, and agriculture, while Ontario and Quebec lead in manufacturing, finance, and technology. Alberta’s GDP per capita is typically much higher due to its resource wealth. The Atlantic provinces generally have lower GDP per capita.
The territory of Yukon ranks among the highest HDI in Canada. Yukon's HDI is boosted by high income levels, strong healthcare services, and educational attainment relative to its population size. Among provinces, British Columbia and Ontario typically rank high in HDI due to their well-developed economies, higher income, and strong access to healthcare and education. The territory of Nunavut has the lowest HDI in Canada.
36% of Non-profits have a waitlist of people who cannot access their support. We have 4x times more food charities than grocery stores. Almost 20% of Canadians get food from charitable organizations
About the organization and further information
Second Harvest
