Nearly Half of Food Waste in Canada is Preventable, New Report Reveals

Billions of dollars worth of food are being unnecessarily discarded each year in Canada, according to a new report by the non-profit Second Harvest. The report, released on Tuesday, reveals that the Canadian food system wastes an estimated $58 billion worth of food annually, with 41.7% of that being avoidable.

At a news conference held at the organization’s Etobicoke headquarters, CEO Lori Nikkel highlighted that the 8.83 million metric tons of food being avoidably wasted each year could feed 17 million people three meals a day. She emphasized that this waste occurs even as food insecurity affects millions of Canadians.

The study, co-authored by Second Harvest and Value Chain Management International (VCMI), shows a 20% overall reduction in food waste since 2019. However, avoidable food waste has increased by 6.5%. A significant contributor is the misuse of best-before dates, which account for nearly a quarter of all avoidable waste, costing $13.2 billion annually. Nikkel clarified that best-before dates are indicators of food quality, not safety.

The environmental impact of avoidable food waste is alarming, contributing 25.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, which is equivalent to 253,000 flights from Toronto to Vancouver. The report also reveals that nearly half of all food produced for and in Canada—46.5%—is wasted.

Nikkel described food waste as one of the “most pressing issues of our time,” citing its connection to the affordability crisis. She pointed out the paradox of skyrocketing food prices while vast amounts of edible food are wasted.

The $58 billion in wasted food is equivalent to the annual grocery bill for 3.7 million Canadian families, happening at a time when food banks are struggling to meet demand. Nikkel stressed that reducing food waste is not just about resource conservation, but also about addressing food insecurity and environmental sustainability.

The report’s release comes as food banks, including the North York Harvest Food Bank, face shortages, with 1 in 10 Torontonians and 1 in 13 Mississaugans relying on food banks. The study, funded by Loblaw Companies Ltd., calls for comprehensive actions to reduce food waste and aims to serve as a resource for industry, government, and the public in building a more sustainable food system.