Vie Cafe combats food waste and gives back

Being a LEAF Certified restaurant or cafe is about so much more than meeting environmental standards at one point in time. The LEAF program encourages our members to continue their sustainability journey, and there’s nothing we love more than showcasing the on-going environmental commitments and improvements of our members. Vie Cafe, located in Calgary’s Market 17, has some exciting news with regards to their environmental standards, goals to give back to the community, and promote local in Calgary!

Here’s what’s new in the last 12 months…

In an effort to get more connected to their local ingredients, in July 2015, some of Vie Cafe’s staff traveled by bus to rural Alberta and toured the local farm where they buy their Free-Range, non-GMO eggs, “Mans Eggs”. “We talked with the farmers about their methods and challenges, and met the animals” says Alison Gilroy, General Manager of Market 17.

In February 2016 Vie Cafe began collaborating with another LEAF certified restaurant, Cassis Bistro, their neighbouring business. Gilroy says the two businesses have created a working relationship whereby Vie Cafe gives excess, overripe or “ugly” produce (from it’s home of Market 17 organic grocery store) to the chefs at Cassis; they in turn get creative and cook meals- to- go with these healthy and organic ingredients which they sell in Vie Cafe. The meals are branded as Cassis creations. Food does not get wasted and both businesses get promoted! We love the collaboration and ingenuity to combat food waste!

They are also collaborating with a non-profit, LeftoversYYC. “Every week, volunteers from this local organization pick up our non-sell-able, but still-edible food and deliver it immediately to hungry folks at charities, soup kitchens, or shelters in our community”, says Gilroy.

Last but not least, Vie Cafe competed in YYC Hot Chocolate Fest 2016 and raised over $250 for Calgary Meals on Wheels. “This was our 4th year competing and our entry was named after comedian Conan O’Brien. The “Conan” was smooth, nutty and ginger: we used organic ginger, peanut butter and organic fair trade dark chocolate”. Vie Cafe sold more hot chocolates (and raised more money for Meals on Wheels!) than in all previous years they’ve competed in the festival.

A big Congratulations to the team at Vie Cafe for their continued focus on improving their local food community and giving back! Keep up the great work!

LEAF eateries continue to whip up delicious and sustainable treats

We love to highlight the great things that our LEAF certified members are doing both in the kitchen and in the community. Check out these updates from a few of our members, and then go taste them!

PURPLE PASTRY CHEF

Chantal Zimmer, owner of The Purple Pastry Chef in Calgary, has been a LEAF member since 2012. In the past year, she has expanded her business further into the vegan community. Their products are now sold at Hearts Choices Cafe and store. Half of Chantal’s custom orders are lactose-free or vegan as well!

HEARTY CATERING
Hearty Catering, in North York, Ontario, has had a busy year undergoing a brand refresh. They have a new logo and a brand new website! They also achieved the FeastON certification, a criteria based certification that recognizes businesses committed to showcasing Ontario produce and products. The team at Hearty Catering continues their involvement in the community, and held their first innaugural Soup and Socks campaign this winter, delivering tasty and wholesome vegan soups and clean, unused socks to men and women’s shelters, partnering with local suppliers to start this new community outreach program. Check out Hearty Catering on their website, or one of the local Farmer’s Markets they attend.

OPEN RANGE

We featured the great improvements made by Alberta Ennest and the Open Range team last September, but they were kind enough to send us some photos of some of the incredible new menu items they’re serving up. Book your reservation here!

Environmental commitment of LEAF Restaurants continues to impress

LEAF restaurants are known for their environmental sustainability. While LEAF certification is an impressive accomplishment, LEAF members are encouraged to continue their sustainability efforts on an on-going basis. The following LEAF restaurants have continued their commitment to the environment with improvements to their businesses that lower their environmental footprint, while providing the same or better service to their customers, and even saving some major dollars with eco-upgrades!

Mountain Mercato, Canmore, Alberta

Tucked away in the beautiful Alberta Rockies, Mountain Mercato honours its beautiful surroundings with its commitment to a low environmental impact. As a LEAF certified cafe, Mountain Mercato was already an environmental leader. Since first becoming LEAF certified they have built a small garden from reclaimed wood pallets and installed water-saving toilets. They have also added a vegan main course to the menu, switched from disposable wooden coffee stir sticks to washing reusable metal spoons, and now support a community program that gets kids involved in growing food. Small improvements that add up to a big difference!

The Coup, Calgary

The Coup post renovation

Being a vegetarian and vegan restaurants is a great place to start for a restaurant that cares about the environment, but for The Coup’s Dalia Kohen, the buck doesn’t stop there. In 2014, The Coup underwent some major renovations that allowed them to achieve an upgrade from Level 2 to Level 3 LEAF certification. Achieving Level 3 LEAF certification is not an easy feat – in fact, to date, only four other Canadian restaurants currently hold Level 3 certification. So how did they do it? When old equipment had served their purpose, they were replaced with Energy Star models, composting and recycling services were expanded, and upgrades to energy efficient and LED lighting were made. They also increased their percentage of organic products and implemented formal sustainability training for staff.

Locals Restaurant, Courtenay, Vancouver Island, B.C.

Locals Restaurant is located in the beautiful Comox Valley on Vancouver Island. Owners Tricia and Ronald St. Pierre are dedicated to protecting the environment. In the past two years they moved the restaurant into the Old House. Before reopening, some major renovations were done to make the building more energy efficient, and the inside of the restaurant was outfitted with Energy Star equipment, “on demand” kitchen ventilation technology, and low flow faucets and toilets for even more energy and water savings. Other improvements that were made included a larger herb garden, more vegetarian dishes, energy efficient windows and LED lighting.

River Cafe, Calgary

The final restaurant to achieve Level 3 status this year was River Cafe. River Cafe was the first LEAF Certified restaurant in Canada. While they have always been committed to running a sustainable restaurant, the limitations of operating in an older building remained an obstacle. After the flood that hit Calgary in 2013, the restaurant suffered extensive damage. Proprietor Sal Howell took that opportunity to renovate the restaurant and improve it’s efficiency. Upgrades included new Energy Star equipment and water tank. Of note, River Cafe conducted a food waste audit in early 2015 and were subsequently able to reduce food waste by 77%! A great achievement!

The Purple Pastry Chef, Calgary, Alberta

Since food trucks don’t have a lot of the typical items evaluated within the LEAF criteria, they have to score particularly well in all other areas to achieve enough points for LEAF certification. For a food truck such as The Purple Pastry Chef, which sells only baked goods, the achievement is even more impressive. Chantal Zimmer, Owner, has recently expanded into the vegan community, and also offers lactose-free options. Her products are now available at Hearts Choices Cafe and store.

Chic Alors!

Chic Alors!, Quebec, QC

Chic Alors! has made some notable improvements since first becoming LEAF certified. They have changed halogen bulbs to LEDs, saving $700 per month in electricity costs, and they expect to recover their investment in 7 months! In addition, their already low waste output has been cut in half, and a new collection bin will reduce their waste hauling fees. But the work is not done. Planned for the future: a dishwasher upgrade that is expected to save $7000 per year!

Why go green now?

Different people ’Go Green’ in their lifestyles, their homes or their business for a wide variety of reasons, this article will review some of those factors  You may decide to green your restaurant for any reason but there are many benefits when you Go Green today.  In business there are a number of typical ‘drivers’ or causes for the shift.  Whatever your motive for reading this, we thank you for at least considering the subject of Greening Your Restaurant.  That is because restaurants can have a strong influence in their communities.  When restaurants go green, people notice.  When a restaurant goes green, it can make a big difference in energy savings, waste recovery, local food production and many other areas but the first point before we discuss the benefits of greening is more basic; why go green now?

The world needs our attention to the environment, because climate change is real, on land all over the planet, species habitat is being threatened and the oceans are in peril of mass extinctions.  The problems seem enormous but hope lies in the fact that we can make a difference in the same way that real and meaningful change always starts, with small steps taken with purpose in the right direction. 

ETHICS

One of the first reasons that people go green is ethics, and ethics are often understood or defined as socially accepted norms of doing good. Because people generally feel good about doing the right thing, then ethics are one of the primary factors in why people make the choice to go green. As our society learns more about what doing that right thing is, in terms of the environment and sustainability, then ethical thinking and action becomes easier to get on board with and the green movement gains traction. Not everyone is committed to change but they see it as the future, so where will your business be in 5 years?  Will you be more energy and resource conscious? We expect that our entire industry will be greener and reaping benefits from an engaged and supportive public.

MARKETING

The second strong driver in the growing green movement is marketing, because sustainability is selling today and there has been impressive growth in that sector even in the aftermath of the 2008 meltdown.  As the economy continues to recover, one can only expect even faster growth in the green sector. Consumers today are seeking more green products and business services, they are looking for healthier food alternatives, they want higher quality, many are interested in preserving the environment and everyone seems to be into saving time and money.  When a business is seen to ‘walk the talk’ they build consumer confidence. People are becoming skeptical of greenwashing claims so credible green marketing is important. Transparency about green practices by telling your customers what exactly you are doing makes them feel good about supporting your restaurant.  Certification by third parties through various agencies like the Green Restaurant Association or LEAF also lends credibility. 

STAFF

In many restaurant businesses which have gone green, the primary driver was either a young staff or an engaged owner with a desire to go green, knowing that it would attract and retain young workers longer. I have seen dramatic reversals in head office thinking after focus groups listened to the younger staff express their views about the company’s sustainability policy and behaviour. Staff engagement is an important retention factor today and green policies and practices have been shown to have positive engagement benefits, people feel better about working for businesses that have solid green credentials. Bold and innovative leadership engages staff to follow with confidence and to feel good about their place of employment leading to better workplace attitude and enhanced staff retention statistics.

COMPLIANCE

With a changing political and social landscape, regulatory compliance is becoming a big factor for business.  Many green initiatives such as various forms of recycling are mandatory in most jurisdictions. By taking a proactive green approach a restaurant can often avoid potential issues with regulators. Although few rules about green practices are mandatory today, issues like water efficiency, energy savings, recycled materials and waste handling are becoming the focus of municipal and regional governments many of which have put various rules and regulations in place already on these topics.  For example sorting paper from cardboard, glass and plastic from other waste is required for restaurants in the Capital Regional District where I live.  With increased drought conditions occurring with greater frequency, water efficiency and even water use rationing is happening in parts of the southern US. With electrical energy shortages creating brown-outs, it is easy to imagine more and more regulation about high energy use businesses. 

GRANTS

Linked to compliance as the carrot, is the complicated world of incentive grants which vary from place to place and year to year.  The commonality about grants however is that early adapters are generally the major beneficiaries of grants.  Therefore you are encouraged to look into opportunities in your area as soon as you can to benefit from any possible grants that may now be available to your business.  Once behaviour becomes normal, then habits become rules, and the grants that were used to start the change in behavior are no longer required or available.

So why go green now? The drivers are ethics, marketing, staff retention, regulatory compliance, grants and future financial benefits through cost savings.  Going green should be considered as a process and we encourage you to start with the easy steps that will have the highest and fastest returns.  Then if those savings are invested in larger and more costly initiatives with a higher but longer ROI, the greening can be self-financed until the point that your goals are reached and you have a green restaurant with improved efficiency, better staff retention, a loyal customer base and improved profits.  Why Go Green Now? Well why not, when the rewards can be so good for your business in so many ways. I’ll show you how in the following articles.

JC Scott of JC Scott eco Design Associates Inc.

www.jcscott.com

CANADA’S GREENEST RESTAURANTS 2015

LEAF CERTIFIES GROWING NUMBER OF SUSTAINABLE RESTAURANTS IN CANADA

Annual List of Canada`s Greenest Restaurants Released in Time for Earth Day

CALGARY, AB, April 21, 2015 – Now more than ever, Canadians are choosing to put their money where their mouth is by choosing organic and local food products. And the restaurant industry is taking note and making exceptional changes to reduce the impact operations make on the environment. Leaders in Environmentally Accountable Foodservice (LEAF), a third-party certifier of sustainability for foodservice establishments, is one resource available for restaurants to consult with towards establishing a more sustainable business model that reduces waste, saves on energy and encourages the purchase of local and organic ingredients.

“From coast to coast, we are seeing a growing demand for more environmentally sustainable restaurants, cafes and even food trucks,“ said Janine Windsor, president, LEAF. “We know that 75 per cent of consumers will choose green restaurants when available, so the industry is adapting quickly to this end.“

These days most cities do, in fact, offer green restaurant options, and LEAF provides consumers with third-party validation in terms of just how environmentally friendly a restaurant is. Hundreds of indicators are measured towards providing a score on where a restaurant stands in its green efforts. Upon becoming certified, restaurants are than able to display a LEAF decal that ensures diners they are choosing an environmentally and socially responsible eatery.

In the past year, Winnipeg, MN, Victoria, B.C. and Edmonton, AB all got their first LEAF Certified restaurants. Craft Beer Market in Edmonton, AB was recently named the largest LEAF-certified establishment in Canada. Additionally, restaurants such as The Coup in Calgary, AB and Locals in Courtenay, B.C., which had previously reached Level 2 certification, did more in the past year to bump their credentials to the most advanced at a Level 3.

– 30 –

About LEAF

Established in Calgary in 2009, LEAF is a non-profit organization that helps restaurants reduce their environmental impact and makes it easy for diners to identify green restaurants. The organization provides a benchmark to measure the environmental sustainability of foodservice establishments in Canada and fosters sustainability by working with the community to support the local economy.

Website: www.leafme.ca Twitter: @LEAF_Canada Facebook: L.E.A.F.

Media Contact: Rebecca Eras, Eras Communications Inc.Toll-free:1-855-403-6168 E: [email protected]

Restaurants Responsables: Aide financère potentielle pour le programme LEAF

Faire reconnaître vos efforts en développement durable dans la restauration, c’est maintenant possible !

Montréal (QC) – Le 30 avril 2015 – L’industrie de l’alimentation est une source majeure des impacts environnementaux : elle représente entre 17 et 32 % de toutes les émissions humaines de gaz à effet de serre. Afin de reconnaître les efforts mis en place par certains restaurants, la certification LEAF a été mise en place pour encadrer les initiatives des exploitants et pour différencier les établissements engagés dans une démarche environnementale. Aujourd’hui, plus de 46 restaurants au Canada font partie du programme des Restaurants Responsables, dont 6 au Québec. Bleu Innovation vous invite à soumettre votre candidature rapidement pour participer à un projet pilote unique au Québec. Dans le cadre de ce projet, Bleu Innovation a entrepris de démarches pour vous faire bénéficier d’une aide financière potentielle.

Pour en bénéficier, Inscrivez-vous avant le 18 mai en remplissant le formulaire
http://www.bleuinnovation.com/#!leaf/c1p1o

Une industrie polluante

L’industrie de l’alimentation est une source majeure des impacts environnementaux : elle représente entre 17 et 32 % de toutes les émissions humaines de gaz à effet de serre. Aux États-Unis, la restauration représente un tiers de l’électricité consommée par le secteur du commerce de détail, la consommation de plus d’un million de litres d’eau chaque année et produit en moyenne 11,5 tonnes de déchets. L’importance des impacts environnementaux de l’industrie de la restauration illustre un potentiel d’amélioration considérable et à faible coût (extrait de l’association des restaurants du Québec – ARQ).

À titre d’exemple, il suffit de penser à des éléments tels que la cuisson, le chauffage, la climatisation, l’éclairage et l’assainissement qui contribuent à une consommation massive d’énergie de l’industrie de la restauration. Mettre en place de meilleures pratiques permet une réduction substantielle des coûts de l’énergie et ainsi d’avoir des impacts positifs sur l’environnement.

Selon une étude exhaustive de l’ARQ, une certification environnementale visant à accroître et à reconnaître les efforts écologiques de l’industrie de la restauration répond à une volonté des restaurateurs (96 % des répondants interrogés en 2008) qui estimaient « important que les entreprises du secteur de la restauration se préoccupent de l’environnement et fassent des efforts pour améliorer la situation ».

De plus, les consommateurs souhaitent une certification verte :

• 79% des consommateurs mentionnent qu’ils choisiront d’aller dans un restaurant certifié vert par opposition à un restaurant non certifié (Technomic survey for GRA) ;

• 61% des clients affirment être prêt à payer plus pour un restaurant certifié “vert”, soit une hausse de 5% par rapport à 2009. (2010 Zagat Survey) ; 

• 61% des consommateurs ont tendance à visiter un restaurant qui agit de façon responsable pour l’environnement (NRA).

Aide financère potentielle pour le programme LEAF

Au Canada (hors Québec), le programme de certification pour restaurants et services d’alimentation Leaders in Environmentally Accountable Foodservice (LEAF) existe depuis 2009.

Le programme comprend 3 niveaux de certification environnementale, chacun démontrant un engagement plus élevé que le précédent. Il n’y a qu’un seul niveau pour les petits établissements tels que les cafés.

Niveau 1: L’établissement répond aux exigences minimales en matière de certification et a fait une tentative positive pour devenir un établissement de restauration écologique.

Niveau 2: L’établissement dépasse les critères minimaux requis pour la certification et a prouvé son engagement à réduire l’impact de l’établissement  sur la planète. Cet établissement est sur la bonne voie afin atteindre le statut de haut niveau pour le service alimentaire durable.

Niveau 3: L’établissement  a atteint le plus haut niveau de durabilité. L’établissement démontre un effort continu pour réduire son impact environnemental et fournit l’expérience d’un service alimentaire plus durable à sa clientèle.

Bleu Innovation a entrepris des démarches pour vous faire bénéficier d’une aide financière potentielle.     Dès qu’un nombre suffisant des participants auront signifié leur intérêt. une demande d’aide financière sera disposée pour réduire une partie des frais. Un délai de réponse de quelques mois et à prévoir.

Bleu Innovation est mandaté pour l’implantation de la certification canadienne LEAF au Québec en accompagnant et certifiant les établissements alimentaires (restaurants, café, cafétéria…) dans une démarche d’écoresponsabilité qui vise l’ensemble des opérations des établissements. 

Pour en bénéficier, Inscrivez-vous avant le 18 mai en remplissant le formulaire
http://www.bleuinnovation.com/#!leaf/c1p1o

À propos de Bleu Innovation 

Bleu Innovation est le seul mandataire autorisé à diffuser la certification LEAF au Québec. BLEU offre une expertise de haut niveau issue de plusieurs années d’expérience-terrain en développement des affaires, soutenue par des services performants en communication, marketing et en développement durable. BLEU est dédié à la croissance, au rayonnement, à la performance et à la profitabilité des organisations, que ce soit au niveau local, régional, national ou international.

Pour de plus amples renseignements, visitez les sites suivants :

www.leafme.ca et www.bleuinnovation.com/#!leaf/c1p1o

Contact médias : 

Pour toutes demandes d’informations additionnelles,
contacter Lauren Rochat – Bleu Innovation

[email protected]

Pour de plus amples renseignements, visitez les sites suivants :
www.leafme.ca et www.bleuinnovation.com/#!leaf/c1p1o

How Composting Can Benefit You and the Environment

Image courtesy of khunaspix at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

by Kristin Hillery

When it comes to helping the environment, it’s the little things that really do count. And the more of those little things you can do at your restaurant, the better. (We’ve mentioned before that 8 out of 10 U.S. consumers are willing to pay more to eat at environmentally-friendly restaurants.)

Composting is one of those little things, but don’t let it fool you — its impact is huge. You can either set up separate bins around your kitchen for food waste — doing this will quickly become second-nature to the staff —  that get emptied into a large compost bin outside, managed by a composting company. Or, if your local health department allows it and you have the space, you can set up your own compost pile. Either way, take a look at some of the benefits composting offers:

1. Composting helps cut down on trash. We all know that sometimes Trash Day doesn’t happen often enough — restaurant dumpsters can fill up fast, especially during busy season or when there are private parties or off-site catering jobs. Sending the majority of your waste to the compost bin is an excellent way to avoid an overflowing, disgusting dumpster.

2. Composting improves soil by returning valuable nutrients to it. Your local farmers will thank you.

3. You’ll likely be ahead of the curve. Many cities like San Francisco and Seattle already require restaurants to compost their waste, and more cities are hopping aboard this important trend.

4. Bragging rights. Most of your customers will likely appreciate the fact that you’re environmentally conscious.

5. Reduced trash fees. It’s possible you may save money on garbage disposal fees since you’ll have significantly less of it. If you have restaurants next to you or close by, consider talking to them about splitting the cost of organic waste pick-up.

For more tips and tricks, head to Modernize.com.

3 Big Reasons to Commit to Buying Local

By Kristin Hillery

More and more restaurants are starting to realize the benefits of buying local. Really, why order a case of romaine hearts that were picked and packaged and placed on a truck over a week ago when you could get produce that was still growing on a farm two days ago? And it goes without saying that being able to form a real relationship with the farmers who grow the food you serve means you know you’re getting a far superior product.

Customers want to see local food served at the restaurants they go to, and they’re willing to pay more for it because they know it’ll be tastier, healthier, and just better all around. Not yet convinced? Check out these four big reasons why you should commit to buying local.

1. Local food supports and builds your community

When you buy from a local farmer, that money is going to help support his or her family. Since they’re able to cut out the middleman and sell directly to consumers, local farmers are able to make enough money from their products to support themselves and stay on their land instead of selling it and letting it get developed into condos. And that land benefits the environment by protecting water sources, preserving open space, providing a place for wildlife to hang out.

2. Local food just tastes better

Local farmers have their finger firmly on the pulse of their crops and the seasons, and they know just when to pick crops so they’re at their peak — which means that food will be so much tastier. For restaurant owners, that means better tasting dishes and happier customers who’ll keep coming back for more. (Just don’t forget to change the menu to account for seasonal produce.)

3. Buying local strengthens the economy

Local businesses hire local people, everyone from architects to woodworkers, to accountants and marketing firms. Corporations will have their own staff that most certainly won’t be in town.

Ready to start buying local? Check out listings in your area for farmers’ markets. Many local farms can even arrange to deliver orders right to your back door.

For more tips and tricks, head to Modernize.com.

Hop: how a composting company is closing the loop of Calgary’s local food system

There’s a new sustainability-based company and LEAF Approved Supplier getting a lot of buzz in Calgary right now. Kevin Davies, founder and CEO of Hop, sat down with us to discuss his new venture that is changing the game for local food production in Calgary.

How would you describe Hop?

Hop is creating a closed loop for Calgary’s food.

We enable 40 select Calgary food merchants to achieve zero-waste, collecting all of their food scraps every week. From this local feedstock, Hop crafts the cleanest fertilizer alternative in North America, and when sold back to local growers, it creates a regenerative food cycle without waste.

Where did the idea for Hop come from?

When my dog Willy was two years old, he was poisoned by conventional fertilizer in our family garden. He developed debilitating pancreatitis and was in too much pain to even walk for two weeks. Willy ultimately required those two weeks worth of treatments to get back to health, and luckily is okay today. However, it was an eye-opening experience for my family and I, in seeing conventional fertilizer for what it is – a poison. I set out to create a fertilizer alternative so healthy, you could eat it without issue.

Why is sustainability important to you?

For every 10 pounds of food received by a food merchant, and average of 4 pounds goes into its garbage. Those 4 pounds of food waste will emit the equivalent of 400 pounds of CO2 in landfill, and Calgary’s landfills are projected to run out of space within 25 years. Food waste is far from benign, and it’s Hop’s role to inspire and build the response.

How are your products beneficial to the restaurant and foodservice industry, specifically?

Hop is the first to enable restaurants to compost meat, fish, dairy, and bones, along with conventional compostables, with no sorting required. For many restaurants, the system is as efficient to use as garbage, but empowers them to reach zero-waste.

In addition, we have a scale installed in Hop’s collection vehicle that weighs every bin collected. We end up with a waste diversion datastream that we use to create Impact Reports specific to each client, so they can stand apart from jargon and validate their benefit to Calgary. Instead of saying “we compost,” they’re able to say things like “this month, our composting preserved enough water to fill 4,801 bottles of wine.”

Beyond that, we’ve honed the operational details of restaurant composting. A bio soap pump installed on our vehicle hoses bins out so they aren’t grimy week-to-week, we offer custom staff training and signage systems, and have the shortest contract in the industry. Hop is craft composting for the craft food merchant.

Learn more about Hop:

hopcompost.com

@hopcompost

Esquimalt Farmers Market: Greater Victoria’s latest Market

Coming this spring to Greater Victoria is the NEW Esquimalt Farmers Market. While the region is no stranger to markets, perhaps one thing that sets the Esquimalt Farmers Market apart from others, is their commitment to running an environmentally sustainable market, both in operation, and requirements of their vendors. The Market will support local growers and producers and those who engage in environmentally sound, farming practices. The Market organizers worked with LEAF to develop sustainable policies and practices that will be required or encouraged for the Market itself, and its vendors. Over the next few years, those policies will be shaped to develop what could be the most sustainable farmers market in Canada. LEAF is proud to be a founding sponsor of such an innovative project that will bring so much to the community. 

According to Market organizers, the idea for the Market came after “many conversations with friends and people in the neighbourhood about our love of attending markets, the inspiration dawned to bring one to us in Esquimalt. This would be no easy task, but a need for more choice in local fresh foods in OUR neighbourhood promoting sustainability and encouraging community building seemed like a wonderful decision.” 

In late October 2014, a meeting was hosted to engage the community to see how this idea could be supported. The turnout was big, and it was evident there was a demand for this project to move forward.

Check out the Esquimalt Farmers Market this May:

4:30 pm – 7:30 pm on Thursdays