Our Food Future

This Action aligns with the following Calls to Action from the Circular Economy Action Agenda for Food 

10. Increase information accessibility and data utilization

7. Reframe wasted food and byproducts as valuable resources

4. Better understand hotspots of food loss and waste  

Ambition 

Through the initiative Our Food Future, the Canadian municipalities of Guelph and Wellington County aim to create the country’s first circular food economy by 2025 with three ambitious goals known as 50x50x50: (1) increase access to affordable, nutritious food by 50%, (2) create 50 new circular food businesses or collaborations, and (3) increase economic benefit by unlocking the value of waste by 50%.

Objectives

Guelph-Wellington will operationalize technology and use of data to support circular business models. Building on the work of Our Food Future, the Circular Opportunity Innovation Launchpad (COIL) was launched to help entrepreneurs, established businesses and social enterprises launch and scale innovative, sustainable products and business models. This program will accelerate an additional 45 businesses, launch 5 industrial-scale demonstration projects, deliver 3 innovation challenges and build momentum around ReSource Exchange, a business-to-business marketplace for end-of-life products/by-products that would otherwise go to waste. 

Partners 

The Government of Canada, Municipalities of Guelph and Wellington County, Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, Next Generation Manufacturing Canada, 10C, Innovation Guelph, University of Guelph (Arrell Food Institute), Conestoga College, Ontario Agri-Food Technologies, Alectra Utilities, Provision Coalition, The SEED (Guelph Community Health Centre), Toward Common Ground, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health, Smart Prosperity Institute (University of Ottawa), Western University Ivey School of Business, Circular Innovation Council, Circular Leadership Council, MARS, Dillon Consulting and Metabolic.