Vancouver and Montréal, September 9, 2021 – A group of Canadian environmental, food and animal welfare organizations are launching a website, sustainablefoodtransition.ca, calling on federal political parties to align their climate change strategy with what the science tells us is among the most effective means to mitigate to the climate crisis, that is by committing to transition Canada’s food system to one that relies more on plant-based foods and less on animal products.
The Coalition for a Sustainable Food Transition, which comprises Vancouver-based Earthsave Canada, the Montreal SPCA, and the Montreal Vegetarian association, among others, analyzed the main political parties’ positions on food policy from a recent survey by World Animal Protection. It concludes that few major parties are committed to acting in line with the scientific evidence regarding the environmental impact of our food choices. This is despite the fact that the food we produce and consume is responsible for more greenhouse gases than the use of all cars, trucks and ships combined.
When asked if their party would support initiatives to increase the consumption of plant-based foods in Canada, the Liberals, the NDP and the Greens replied favourably, while the Conservatives and the Bloc did not reply directly. When asked if they would support initiatives to reduce animal protein consumption, only the Greens responded favourably.
“The environment is the top issue for Canadian voters this election, and more than 6 million Canadians have already reduced or eliminated meat consumption in the last few years,” says Dr. David Steele, Vice-President of Earthsave Canada and Coalition spokesperson. “Yet, the climate impact of the food we produce and consume is almost never discussed. This signals a deep disconnect between Canadians’ priorities and political parties’ platforms on food choices.”
Apart from the environmental benefits, favouring plant-based foods over animal products has been shown to bring health benefits, reduce future pandemic risks, and contribute to animal welfare. The Coalition for a Sustainable Food Transition got together for the 2021 Federal elections, but will remain a permanent organization after the elections.
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Media contact: David Steele, Ph.D., Vice President, Earthsave Canada, 604-367-3133, dsteele@earthsave.ca
