Edmonton Social Planning Council

Author: ESPC Team

  • ESPC in the News: What is a living wage in Alberta?

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    On November 18, 2024, Sydney Sheloff, our Strategic Research Coordinator, was interviewed by Elliot Knopp of City News regarding 2024 Edmonton’s Living Wage.

    “Edmonton is pretty much exactly in the middle of the pack. We have some really big outliers for example, like Jasper is closer to $31/hour is needed to make a living wage, whereas in Medicine Hat, it’s like $17.50”, she said.

    For a brief overview of the Living Wage in Edmonton, take a look at this:

    Curious about how the Living Wage was calculated? Explore the full breakdown here!

     

     

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  • Edmonton’s Living Wage 2024

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    Executive Summary

    A living wage is rooted in the belief that individuals and families should not just survive, but live with dignity and participate in their community. Differing from the minimum wage, a living wage carefully considers common expenses people pay to live and the wage necessary to cover these expenses for themselves and/or their families and to reach basic financial security.

    It is a calculation of the hourly rate at which a household can meet a modest standard of living, once government transfers have been added to the household’s income and deductions have been subtracted.

    In 2024, the living wage is $20.85, a decrease of $1.40 from the previous year.

    While inflation has increased significantly over the past year, expenses for the living wage reference families have gone down. The largest decreases this year were seen in clothing and footwear, due to changes in shopping patterns, and childcare, due to the gradual implementation of $10/day childcare. At the same time, the reference living wage families saw an increase in government benefits they are eligible for. These trends worked together to lower the living wage.

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    Click on image to view online.

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    New report suggests Alberta’s living wage is higher than the minimum wage

    630 CHED Afternoons with J’lyn Nye

    Guest: Susan Morrissey, Executive Director, Edmonton Social Planning Council

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  • Blog post: Restorative Justice: The Journey to Healing

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    Written by Ugoeze Uchegbu-Okoroh, ESPC volunteer

    Healing is never a linear process; it is often long and arduous. In the interest of justice, the harm caused from committing crime against a person should not go unaddressed under any circumstance. Restorative justice focuses on repairing the damage caused, charting a course for healing. A successful restorative justice practice is one that is victim-centred, always striving to meet the needs of victims and survivors. As opposed to the idea that it is an easy way for an offender to escape the consequences of their actions, this form of justice places heavy reliance on the offender taking responsibility for the harm done, and with the participation of the victim, moving towards reparation (Latimer & Kleinknecht, 2000).

    Even though there are varying views on the application of restorative justice, the programs in Canada have been successful. According to the Department of Justice Canada, offenders in these programs are more likely to follow through on negotiated restitution agreements than comply with court-ordered restitution (Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime, 2022).

    In a booklet released by Alberta in 2007, the three common restorative justice models based on needs are: the family group conferencing, circles, and victim-offender mediation. The model to be used is determined by the need, the crime, and the individuals involved (Alberta Government, 2007).

    Restorative justice is often utilised outside of the criminal justice system. However, Canada has taken some steps to include it within the framework of the formal justice system. An example is in section 717 of the Criminal Code that states the diversion of matters away from the formal criminal justice system is done using alternative measures and when the referral is not inconsistent with the protection of society. The alternative measures include a written acknowledgement of responsibility, an acceptance of the facts surrounding the offence, and voluntary consent of the accused, the person who has been harmed as well as any community and personal supports (Hon. Brown, 2022). On the issue of sentencing, section 718 of the Criminal Code further outlines sentencing objectives to be consistent with a restorative justice approach. “The Principles and Guidelines for Restorative Justice Practice in Criminal Matters” which is based on the “UN’s Basic Principles on the Use of Restorative Justice Programmes in Criminal Matters”, emphasizes Canada’s commitment to implementing the “UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People” (Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat, 2018). Alberta’s support of restorative justice initiatives includes providing grants to non-profits and communities.

    Prior to the official recognition of restorative justice in Canada, Indigenous communities as well as faith-based groups had informally utilized these practices to resolve disputes. In a report by the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime, the Mennonites were one of the earliest faith communities to pioneer restorative justice, based on their belief in the bible and mending relationships with God and one another. Within Indigenous cultures, “Talking circles” are used to express emotions and foster reconciliation among community members with a view to promoting peace. It is through this avenue that Indigenous practices and traditions are sustained.  For example, in First Nation communities under the Nishnawbe-Aski Legal Services Corporation (NALSC) In Northern Ontario, the restorative justice process involves a traditional circle, where an agreement is made for the offender to do something to repair the harm. If the offender does not violate the terms of the agreement, the matter is closed but if the offender violates any of the terms, it is referred to the court to proceed accordingly. In 2022, in response to understanding Indigenous history, culture and laws as well as, following consultation with stakeholders, the Indigenous Justice Strategy was created. This gave rise to the Edmonton Indigenous Court as well where justice programs in the province, help address the problem of over representation of Indigenous people in the justice system and lack of a system suited to Indigenous cultures and needs (Alberta Court of Justice, 2024). Prior to this in 2019, the Calgary Indigenous Court was created where both courts include an Indigenous healing plan in probation orders. According to a CBC news article (Huncar, 2022), the released strategy also disclosed a possibility for legislation to support restorative justice in the province but there has been no update on this.

    Even with the growing awareness and use of restorative justice practices, there are some concerns that have been expressed about its application to violent crimes. For example, some have argued that restorative justice should not be used in gender-based violence cases. While it has been largely agreed that restorative justice offers more options to victims and survivors than the formal justice system does, there is a lack of proper guidelines for its application in gender-based crimes. According to the Alberta Courts’ Restorative Justice Pilot Project Framework (Hon. Brown, 2022) addressing restorative justice for gender-based and sexual crimes, Alberta is unable to currently handle referrals for these kinds of crimes due to public safety considerations, risk assessment criteria, and lack of specialized service providers.

    To celebrate this year’s National Restorative Justice Week from November 17-23 (European Forum for Restorative Justice, 2024), the International Institute for Restorative Practices will host the first in-person symposium in Ottawa on November 18 and 19, 2024. The public are encouraged to raise awareness by hosting dialogues, engaging with Indigenous and spiritual leaders, amongst others. The success of these programs is largely dependent on ensuring that it is suited to the needs of the participants involved. In the coming years, a great marker of success in this area will be the emergence of direct legislation to support the practice as well as increase in the number of skilled facilitators. It is important to note that restorative justice models are not punitive in nature but are more concerned with fixing the harm.

    References

    1. Department of Justice Canada. Jeff Latimer, & Steven Kleinknect. (2000). The Effects of the Restorative Justice Programming: A Review of the Empirical. Government of Canada. https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/csj-sjc/jsp-sjp/rr00_16/toc-tdm.html

    2. Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime. (2022). Restorative Justice in Canada: What Victims Should Know

    3. Alberta Government. (2007). Restorative Justice: What makes a safe community.

    4.Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat. (2018) https://scics.ca/en/product-produit/principles-and-guidelines-for-restorative-justice-practice-in-criminal-matters-2018/

    5. Nishnawbe-Aski Legal Services Corporation. (n.d.) https://nanlegal.on.ca/restorative-justice/

    6.Alberta Court of Justice. (n.d.) Indigenous Justice Strategy. https://albertacourts.ca/cj/about-the-court/court-of-justice/indigenous-justice-strategy

    7. CBC News. (2022) Andrea Huncar. Alberta considers legislation for upcoming provincewide restorative justice program
    https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-restorative-justice-bigstone-ifsaa-1.6681456#:~:text=One%20Alberta%20community%20leading%20the,Lake%2C%20Big%20Lakes%20and%20Edmonton.

    8. Provincial Court of Alberta. (2022) Honourable Beverley Browne. Alberta Courts’ Restorative Justice Pilot Project Framework.

    9. European Forum for Restorative Justice
    https://www.euforumrj.org/RJWeek

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    1. Blog post: World Mental Health Day – Is our current approach working hard or hardly working?

      [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.19.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ use_custom_gutter=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” border_width_bottom=”1px” border_color_bottom=”#a6c942″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_post_title meta=”off” featured_image=”off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”||||||||” custom_margin=”||3px|||” border_color_bottom=”#a6c942″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][/et_pb_post_title][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_image src=”https://edmontonsocialplanning.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/COLOUR-BLOCKS_spaced-300×51.png” title_text=”COLOUR BLOCKS_spaced” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”100%” max_height=”75px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”10px|0px|20px|0px|false|false” global_module=”96648″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ use_custom_gutter=”on” make_equal=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” width=”100%” custom_margin=”0px|auto|0px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”30px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|600|||||||” text_text_color=”#2b303a” custom_padding=”||32px|||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9kYXRlIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJkYXRlX2Zvcm1hdCI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJjdXN0b21fZGF0ZV9mb3JtYXQiOiIifX0=@[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.2″ text_text_color=”#2b303a” text_line_height=”1.6em” header_2_font=”||||||||” header_2_text_color=”#008ac1″ header_2_font_size=”24px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”justified” width=”100%” module_alignment=”left” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”25px||||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]

      Written by Harman Khinda, ESPC volunteer

       

      World Mental Health Day is observed on October 10th, with this year’s theme focused on “workplace mental health”. Our world’s workforce is 60% of the global population, therefore urgent action is needed to ensure work limits risks to mental health and protects and supports mental health at work.1 Mental health is a public health and certain strategies at both the macro and micro-levels can create positive impacts through increases in access to services, creating space for open dialogue, and prioritization of preventative measures. Safe, healthy working environments can act as a protective factor for mental health and improve the overall quality of life and participation at work.1 It will take the collective efforts of leaders across a variety of sectors, in addition to meaningful engagement with workers and a commitment through funding, resources and a cultural shift to enact effective evidence-based approaches and interventions at work to promote a healthier work-life balance.

      Advancements in Publicly Funded Services in Canada

      The Government of Canada launched the 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline on November 30, 2023. This service uses collaborative and person-centred approaches with a minimally intrusive intake process to prioritize user welfare. The service is available 24 hours-a-day via phone or text and provides bilingual, trauma-informed and culturally appropriate support from trained responders connected to local mental health organizations.4 The federal government provided $156 million over three years to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) to implement and operate the 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline. Suicide continues to be a serious public health issue impacting people of all ages and backgrounds. Invariably, an estimated 15% of working-age adults have a mental disorder at any point in time. Depression and anxiety are estimated to cost the global economy US $1 trillion each year driven predominantly by lost productivity. People living with severe mental health conditions are largely excluded from work despite participation in economic activities being important for recovery.5

      The Importance of Public Health

      The global pandemic in recent years further exacerbated on-going issues in the healthcare system including underfunding, limited resources, rampant misinformation, and siloed approaches to healthcare delivery in existing primary care and public health systems. Access to, maintenance of, and continual development of robust primary care and public health efforts are the foundation of a healthy society. The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) defines public health as the organized effort of society to keep people healthy and prevent injury, illness and premature death. It is a combination of programs, services and policies that protect and promote the health of all Canadians.2 The World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines on Mental Health at Work provides evidence-based recommendations to promote mental health, prevent mental health conditions, and enable people living with mental health conditions to participate and thrive in work. The recommendations can generally be organized into two categories – organizational interventions and individual interventions.

      Organizational interventions can reshape working conditions and nurture a more friendly work culture. Some examples of this include reasonable accommodations, return-to-work programs and policies in place to prevent discrimination and poor working conditions. These measures can foster stability, job satisfaction and improved mental health. In addition, practices such as regular check-in meetings, frequent breaks, gradually reintroducing workers to tasks, as well as training managers to support mental health, all promote a nurturing workplace. Collaboration among governments, employers, and organizations must work together to create policies that prevent mental health risks, promote well-being, and build supportive workplaces which prioritize mental health and well-being. Individual interventions protect and promote mental health at work through training and can focus on mental health literacy, strengthening skills to recognize mental health conditions at work, and empowering workers to seek support. Stigma and discrimination often prevent people with mental health conditions from seeking help. Reducing workplace discrimination through awareness, training, and engagement with people living with mental health conditions creates healthier, more inclusive work environments​.

      Calls to Action

      Health is a key factor in building a socially cohesive society and we must commit to strengthening the health of the community. A call to action – visit the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) website for resources and support. If you are thinking about suicide, or worried about someone else thinking about suicide, call or text 988 for suicide prevention support. #WorldMentalHealthDay

       

       

      In-Text Citation Sources (APA Format)

      1. World Health Organization. (n.d.-a). World Mental Health day 2024. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-mental-health-day/2024
      2. What is public health? | Canadian Public Health Association. (n.d.). Www.cpha.ca. https://www.cpha.ca/what-public-health
      3. World Health Organization. (n.d.-a). Guidelines on mental health at work. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240053052
      4. Sayani, F. (2023, December 5). 988 launches in Canada. Mental Health Commission of Canada. https://mentalhealthcommission.ca/catalyst/988-launches-in-canada/
      5. World Health Organization. (n.d.-b). Mental health at work: Policy brief. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240057944

       

      Sources

      Canada, P. H. A. of. (2023, November 30). Government of canada launches three-Digit Suicide Crisis Helpline. Canada.ca. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/news/2023/11/government-of-canada-launches-three-digit-suicide-crisis-helpline.html

      Canadian Mental Health Association – National L A Mental Health Charity. CMHA National. (2024b, October 7). https://cmha.ca/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpP63BhDYARIsAOQkATZjJMT2OFqK2UFr-NV9LuD_plnaqzsuTc7XXXkdfhYXwtwwbv6i_zoaAkjBEALw_wcB

      Sayani, F. (2023, December 5). 988 launches in Canada. Mental Health Commission of Canada. https://mentalhealthcommission.ca/catalyst/988-launches-in-canada/

      What is public health? | Canadian Public Health Association. (n.d.). Www.cpha.ca. https://www.cpha.ca/what-public-health

      World Health Organization. (n.d.-a). Guidelines on mental health at work. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240053052

      World Health Organization. (n.d.-b). Mental health at work: Policy brief. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240057944

      World Health Organization. (n.d.-a). World Mental Health day 2024. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-mental-health-day/2024

      World Health Organization. (n.d.). World Mental Health Day. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-mental-health-day

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      1. Blog post: Unearthing Indigenous Knowledge in the Landscape

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        Written by Nguyen Chu, ESPC volunteer

        “Wisdom sits in places,” Apache elder Dudley Patterson once said (Basso, 1996). For Indigenous Peoples, land is not just a physical space, but a living archive of knowledge, history, and cultural memory. It is a teacher, a storykeeper, and a guide. Through place names, oral traditions, and the very contours of the earth, the landscape encodes and preserves the accumulated wisdom of countless generations.

        Geographic features serve as mnemonic devices for many Indigenous cultures, anchoring survival knowledge, lineages, and moral teachings in the land itself (Basso, 1984). The Inuit of Northwest Greenland use the landscape to recall both local histories and ancient myths (Nuttall, 2001), while the Inuinnait rely on place names to connect people to their environment, making the land a keeper of the community’s memory and values (Collignon, 2006). Anthropologist Julie Cruikshank (1990) found that for the Tlingit and Tagish peoples of the Yukon, place names serve as gateways to the past, allowing them to “use points in space to talk about time.” Oral traditions, too, are tightly braided with the land; these multi-generational stories help recount important events that happened at specific sites, carrying not just the history of a place but also the wisdom and life lessons it embodies (Eco-Hawk, 2000). These themes are shared across Indigenous cultures worldwide, from the songlines of Aboriginal Australians that hold vast geographical, ecological, and cultural knowledge, to the complex glyphs by the foothills of the Andes that anchor NASCA people’s histories and worldviews in the very earth itself (Kelly, 2016).

        Yet the arrival of European settlers disrupted intimate connections. Colonial practices like forced relocation, the creation of reserves, residential schools, and the suppression of Indigenous languages and cultural practices were made with the intention to sever the physical, cultural, and spiritual ties between Indigenous communities and the land (Stojanovik, 2021; UNESCO Canadian Commission, 2021). Moreover, colonialism has been ignoring the evidence of Indigenous oral histories, place names, and archaeological sites that attest to their long-standing presence, justifying the dispossession of Indigenous Peoples from their homelands, rather than acknowledging the complex, localized ways in which colonial encounters have played out (Cruikshank, 2005).

        This deliberate separation of Indigenous Peoples from their lands has led to the rapid and severe erosion of languages and cultures that are deeply intertwined with their specific territories (UNESCO Canadian Commission, 2021).

        Despite these persistent and systemic adversities, Indigenous Peoples have shown remarkable resilience in maintaining and revitalizing their relationships with the land. Across Canada, communities are asserting their rights to their territories and reviving cultural practices and land-based education, which is an educational approach that integrates Indigenous knowledge and practices with Western education (UNESCO Canadian Commission, 2021), creating a new generation of leaders who carry forward the languages, teachings, and responsibilities of the land.

        At the same time, the path toward reconciliation requires non-Indigenous people to have a fundamental shift in our own relationships to land and history by recognizing and respecting Indigenous Peoples’ inherent rights to their traditional territories and supporting their efforts in reclaiming and protecting these lands, honouring the treaties and the relationships of mutual respect and sharing that they represent, and learning from Indigenous knowledge systems that see land not as a resource to be exploited, but instead as a sacred relative and teacher (Cowan, n.d.). As climate change and environmental degradation are threatening the very foundations of our existence, we must learn to listen to the wisdom encoded within the landscape, realizing that our survival is braided with the health of the land and all our relations (UNESCO Canadian Commission, 2021).

        Indigenous land-based knowledge offers a path forward. As we have established, using the landscape itself as a mnemonic device not only makes learning more memorable and enjoyable but also fosters a deeper connection to places and a sense of commitment to protect them. Across Canada, a growing number of schools and communities are already centring Indigenous land-based education in their curriculums (UNESCO Canadian Commission, 2021). These programs are creating a new generation of leaders who carry forward the languages, teachings, and responsibilities of the land. As Joseph-McCullough puts it, “We are creating citizens of Canada to be like no others before them” (2021).

        The land remembers. It carries the stories, the knowledge, and the resilience of Indigenous Peoples. As we try to navigate this turbulent time, may we walk this path of reconciliation together––to honour the living archive of the land, to revive and strengthen the languages and practices that connect us to nature, and to build a future in which all peoples and all beings can thrive.

         

         References

        Basso, K. H. (1996). Wisdom sits in places: Landscape and language among the Western Apache. University of New Mexico Press.

        Canadian Commission for UNESCO. (2021). Land as teacher: Understanding Indigenous land-based education. https://en.ccunesco.ca/idealab/indigenous-land-based-education

        Collignon, B. (2006). Knowing places: The Inuinnait, landscapes, and the environment. Canadian Circumpolar Institute.

        Cowan, J. (n.d.). Indigenous tradition as philosophy [Unpublished manuscript].

        Cruikshank, J. (1990). Life lived like a story: Life stories of three Yukon Native elders. University of Nebraska Press; UBC Press.

        Cruikshank, J. (2005). Do glaciers listen? Local knowledge, colonial encounters, and social imagination. UBC Press.

        Eco-Hawk, R. (2000). The power of place: Native North Americans and Indigenous knowledge. Evergreen State College.

        Kelly, L. (2016). Memory code. Allen & Unwin.

        Nuttall, M. (2001). Locality, identity, and memory in South Greenland. Études/Inuit/Studies, 25(1-2), 53-72.

        Stojanovik, M. (2021). Aboriginal Songlines. Odyssey Traveller.
        https://www.odysseytraveller.com/articles/aboriginal-songlines/

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        1. Blog post: Small Steps Add Up: International Food Loss and Waste Awareness Day

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          Written by Jennifer Scherer, ESPC volunteer

          September 29 is International Food Loss and Waste Awareness Day, which highlights the impact of food loss and waste and raises awareness of steps everyone can take to reduce food waste. Food loss is defined as when food is discarded during production, manufacturing, or distribution process (National Zero Waste Council, 2018) and accounts for 13% of the world’s food supply (UN, n.d.) or 1.3 billion tonnes of food (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2022). Food waste is defined as when food is discarded from retail stores, restaurants, or homes (Zero Waste Canada), and accounts for 19% of the world’s food supply (UN, n.d.). Between food loss and food waste, 32% of food is discarded instead of being used. Food loss and food waste is widespread and greatly impacts us. The resources, effort, and land that was devoted to producing this food has been wasted, and the decomposition of this food emits methane. These methane emissions contribute 8-10% of total greenhouse gas emissions. Part of the reason for food cost increases is due to scarcity, and currently around 735 million people experience hunger (UN, n.d.).

          Food waste happens in many settings. In Canada, the three largest contributors to food waste are manufacturing (23%), consumer waste (21%), and processing (20%) (National Zero Waste Council, 2018). Canadian households throw away an average of 140 kilograms of food per year, with an average cost of $1300/year (Love Food Hate Waste, 2024). With consumers being a large contributor to the problem, consumers can be a significant part of the solution. Consumers waste food for many reasons which include:  Lack of meal planning and timely food storage; limited access to technology to help food last longer such as packaging and refrigeration; and people wanting to avoid getting ill from consuming food past expiration dates (National Zero Waste Council, 2018).

          National Zero Waste Council (2018) has developed a strategy for Canada with the goal of reducing food loss and waste by 50% by 2030. The three main strategies they have built their recommendations on are:

          • Prevention- Stop food loss and waste from happening. Strategies include having clear date labelling on foods, retail stores implementing good inventory management, improved packaging to help food last longer, and a culture shift to help everyone develop habits that will help prevent food waste (National Zero Waste Council, 2018).
          • Recovery- Redirect food that would otherwise be wasted to feed people or animals. Strategies include donating unused food to food banks and other non-profits who can use the food, removing obstacles that prevent people from being able to donate food, and using food that would otherwise be discarded to feed animals (National Zero Waste Council, 2018).
          • Recycle- Make use of energy or nutrients from unavoidable food loss. Strategies include investing in composting and biofuel technologies, limiting food waste that goes to landfills, and setting up homes and public spaces to make it easier to separate food waste from other waste (National Zero Waste Council, 2018).

          Since International Food Loss and Waste Day was started in 2019, the efforts made to raise awareness and promote change have made a difference. Research and policy recommendations are being developed to help support producers, companies, governments, and consumers understand how to address food loss and waste (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2022). Most major grocery chains have initiatives to improve sustainability and prevent food loss. The strategies, progress, and targets of each company are outlined on their websites. Governments and municipalities are implementing the recommended changes and policies to support reductions in food loss and waste. Public awareness campaigns have been launched, helping people understand the changes they can make in their own households to make a difference in preventing food waste.

          Edmonton has a Zero Waste Framework with the goal of reducing waste (City of Edmonton, 2024). As part of that framework, the curbside cart rollout for residential waste collection has made it easy for households to separate organic waste. This diverts it from the landfills and turns the organic waste into something useful (City of Edmonton, 2024). Keeping food waste out of landfills is an important step in reducing greenhouse gases, as landfills account for 23% of Canada’s methane emissions (Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2023). Canada has signed the Global Methane Pledge, which commits countries to reducing methane emissions caused by humans to 30% under 2020 levels by 2030 and diverting food waste from landfills is essential to meet this target (Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2023).

          A campaign to help households reduce food waste called Love Food Hate Waste Canada has been reaching out to Canadian consumers through a website and a series of publicity campaigns. They provide education on food labelling, food storage, meal planning tips, ideas to use leftovers, and other resources (Love Food Hate Waste Canada, 2024). The practical tips it provides helps consumers notice that their individual efforts and small steps toward change can add up to real change towards reducing food waste.

          One policy recommendation is to make clear and simple food dating and labeling rules (Goodwin et al, 2022) as best before dates and use by dates are often misunderstood by consumers, leading to unnecessary food waste. Another recommendation is to have food retailers and restaurants divert unsold food to food banks and other charitable organizations so that food could be redirected to people who need it (Goodwin et al., 2022).

          After becoming aware of the scope of the problem that food loss and waste causes, it can feel challenging to try to make changes. These changes can have a big impact by lowering our food costs, reducing greenhouse gases, getting food to those who need it, and producing our food without waste. When we learn more about the series of small steps that we can all take together and make those practical changes, our individual efforts can add up to substantial change.

          References

          City of Edmonton. (2024). Edmonton’s Zero Waste Framework.
          https://www.edmonton.ca/programs_services/garbage_waste/zero-waste-framework

          Environment and Climate Change Canada. (2023, September 29). The Government of Canada launches research fund to help prevent and divert food waste from Canadian landfills.
          https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/news/2023/09/the-government-of-canada-launches-research-fund-to-help-prevent-and-divert-food-waste-from-canadian-landfills.html

          Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2022). Voluntary Code of Conduct for Food Loss and Waste Reduction. Food and Argriculture Organization of the United Nations. https://www.fao.org/policy-support/tools-and-publications/resources-details/en/c/1635033/

          Goodwin, L., Blondin, S., Bassett, G., Roberts, M., Wistrand, L., White, H., Swannell, R., Leib, E.B., Plekenpol, R., & Rouse, H. (2022). Changing Behavior to Help More People Waste Less Food. Champions 12.3. https://champions123.org/sites/default/files/2022-09/Champions_12.3_Playbook_HIGH-RESOLUTION.pdf

          Love Food Hate Waste Canada. (2024). Love Food Hate Waste Canada. https://lovefoodhatewaste.ca/

          Love Food Hate Waste Canada. (2021). Love Food Hate Waste Canada: Making Every Bite Count: Our First Three Years- 2018 to 2021. https://nzwc.ca/Documents/lfhw-canada-three-year-report-2018-2021.pdf

          National Zero Waste Council. (2018). A Food Loss and Waste Strategy for Canada.
          https://nzwc.ca/Documents/NZWC-FoodLossWasteStrategy-EN.pdf

          United Nations. (n.d.). International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste Reduction. https://www.un.org/en/observances/end-food-waste-day

           

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