Food

Working towards a common goal

Did you know student food groups on campus are active advocates and practitioners of sustainable food choices?

In fact, together our efforts resulted in increased access to fresh, healthy, local and seasonal food, as well as the promotion of and education about agricultural practices that are ecologically sound, economically viable and socially responsible.

Concordia Food Services

Concordia Food Services commits to sustainability throughout their operations by:

• Sourcing ingredients from local, Fairtrade and environmentally-responsible producers
• Serving healthy and diverse foods, including plenty of plant-based options
• Operating zero-waste and trayless residential dining halls
• Focusing on reducing food waste through better ordering and menu planning
• Following sustainable cleaning practices

Hospitality Concordia is a partner of Tablée de Chefs, an organization that collects lefovers for local charities. During the first six months of 2019, more than 1,300 kilograms of food was donated from events organized by Hospitality.

For more about Concordia Food Services’ commitment to sustainability, visit their sustainable dining web page.

Concordia student food groups

The following groups are actively involved in sustainable food systems at Concordia:

Concordia Farmer's Market

The Concordia Farmers' Market is committed to providing students and staff with a great selection of local and organic foods every Wednesday from 12 to 6 p.m. in the Engineering, Computer Science and Visual Arts Integrated Complex (EV) Atrium on the Sir George Williams Campus.

Concordia Food Coalition

The Concordia Food Coalition, also known as Community Food Coalition or CFC, is a non-for-profit student-run organization concerned about the economic, ecological and social implications of the food system at Concordia. The CFC brings together students, faculty and staff to promote and facilitate a transition to a more sustainable food system at Concordia.

Hive Café Solidarity Co-operative

The Hive Café is located on both the Sir George Williams and Loyola campuses. It offers locally and ethically sourced food options that are healthy, affordable and delicious. The Sir George Williams Campus café is located on the mezzanine in the Hall Building, whereas the Loyola location can be found on the second floor of the Student Centre (SC) Building.

The Hive Café Solidarity Cooperative rents out their spaces for events, and their delicious catering service is on the Concordia-approved caterers list.

Le Frigo Vert

Frigo Vert is Concordia’s student non-profit health food store. It offers a variety of organic and bulk foods, as well as quick snacks, coffee and environmentally friendly household products at affordable prices.

People's Potato

The People's Potato is a collectively run soup kitchen that offers vegan meals to students and community members on a by-donation basis. The Potato serves more than 400 meals daily to students and community members with the help of dedicated volunteers, and it is dedicated to educating about healthy cooking and food politics.

Concordia Food Groups Research Project

Check out the Concordia Food Groups Research Project for information about these and other groups, as well as food system maps and other resources.

Campus gardens

Concordia is home to many gardens on the Loyola Campus and a rooftop greenhouse on the Sir George Williams Campus. The focus of these spaces range from growing food to supporting urban biodiversity, but what they share in common is in offering places for our community to learn, gather and relax. 

It's quite likely that you have passed one of our campus gardens in the Loyola Campus. Or perhaps you have heard about the Concordia Greenhouse. Volunteer or learn more about the amazing student-led initiatives connecting our campus community to experiential learning, food security and sustainable food options.

Fair Trade Steering Committee

Concordia became a designated Fair Trade Campus in 2016. This means that we support better conditions for producers around the world!

The Fair Trade Steering Committee consists of multiple stakeholders and its purpose is to:

• Formalize and continue to build the University’s commitment to fair trade;
• Increase the scope and availability of fair trade products on campus;
• Seek opportunities to further awareness and to extend discussions on social sustainability.

Food Advisory Committee

Made up of students, faculty and staff, the Food Advisory Committee is a multi-stakeholder group dedicated to continuously enhancing food quality, variety, accessibility and sustainability on campus. Their focus will be on ensuring that food services align with the diverse tastes and needs of Concordia’s vibrant community.