Food waste in Canada is one of the country’s most urgent yet overlooked challenges. Every year, nearly 58% of all food produced goes uneaten, equal to $50 billion in losses and 56 million tons of greenhouse gases. Globally, one-third of food never reaches a plate. To explore solutions, the Sustainable Community Aid Network (SCAN) hosted the webinar From Waste to Value: Tackling Food Loss for People, Planet, and Prosperity, spotlighting innovators turning waste into opportunity.
Food waste isn’t only an environmental problem. It’s also a justice issue, as Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities face the greatest burden of food insecurity.
To address this crisis, the Sustainable Community Aid Network (SCAN) hosted the webinar “From Waste to Value: Tackling Food Loss for People, Planet, and Prosperity.” The event spotlighted leaders and innovators who are turning waste into opportunity.
Framing Food Waste in Canada: Why Circular Solutions Matter
Obie Agusiegbe, a sustainability leader and the webinar’s moderator, opened with a compelling presentation. She highlighted how wasted food contributes up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with methane from landfills being 25 times more potent than CO₂.
Obie emphasized a circular economy approach—reducing food waste through better planning, recovering surplus food for redistribution, and recycling inedible waste into compost, energy, or animal feed. “When we waste food, we waste money, energy, and opportunities for equity,” she stressed.
Community Innovators Tackling Food Waste in Canada
The panel discussion featured four leaders turning ideas into action:
- Harris Ahmed, Zero Food Waste Canada – A youth-led nonprofit that has already rescued over 200,000 pounds of food and created multilingual guides and community fridges across Canada. Harris emphasized that “youth are not just tomorrow’s leaders, they’re leading today.
- Anisha Stewart, Mama’s Healing Garden – A community-led initiative in Toronto focused on food sovereignty, Afro-Indigenous gardening traditions, and cultural preservation. Anisha highlighted how collective farming models reduce food waste while building resilience and community connection.
- Lola Adeniyi, Flawless Cuisine – A culinary entrepreneur who integrates sustainability into West African fine dining. Lola has pioneered a frozen food line to preserve seasonal abundance and shared practical advice for chefs: “Start small, plan with precision, and know your audience.
- Zack Abdi, Provectus Enterprising – An innovator developing technology to convert food waste into biomass, fertilizers, and clean energy. Zack stressed the need to rethink “grow and throw” practices and move beyond CSR to ESG-driven governance that prioritizes both people and the planet.
Key Themes from the Panel
- Youth leadership is already reshaping food systems.
- Community-driven solutions are more sustainable than top-down approaches.
- Cultural traditions can guide innovative approaches to food sovereignty.
- Businesses and entrepreneurs play a crucial role in rethinking waste as a resource.
Food Waste in Canada , Equity, and Public Health
The panelists also underscored how food waste intersects with public health and equity. Canada remains one of the few G7 countries without a national school food program, despite strong evidence of its benefits for health and learning outcomes.
“Food waste is not just an environmental issue, it’s a public health crisis,” Harris argued, pointing to Zero Food Waste’s pandemic partnerships with restaurants to provide balanced, culturally relevant meals for families.
Audience Engagement: Practical Insights
The Q&A session highlighted the importance of supporting small, racialized community organizations that often lack access to funding compared to mainstream environmental NGOs. Participants also received hands-on advice—from improving soil quality for home gardening to strategies for chefs looking to minimize waste in their kitchens.
Next Steps: A Challenge for All
The webinar concluded with the launch of a 30-Day Food Waste Challenge, encouraging participants to transform their habits at home. Weekly themes, recognition badges, and a dedicated Slack community will help participants stay engaged.
SCAN also announced its next webinar on poverty eradication, continuing its mission to connect sustainability with social justice.
Final Thoughts
The “From Waste to Value” webinar highlighted an urgent truth: tackling food waste is about more than saving food’s about saving communities, cutting emissions, and creating prosperity. From youth-led nonprofits to community gardens and sustainable cuisine, the solutions are already here. What’s needed now is scale, funding, and collective commitment.
As Obie concluded, “Food connects us all. Reducing waste means caring for people, protecting our planet, and building shared prosperity.”
