UTFA Executive Statement in Support of Vic Food Justice Network

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The Executive Committee of the University of Toronto Faculty Association is pleased to support the Vic Food Justice Network in its efforts to address food waste and food sovereignty. The Network’s current campaign focuses on these goals:

  1. Consistent Campus-Wide Food Rescue Practices
    We’re advocating for a standardized approach to food rescue and waste separation across all dining halls and food service areas. This would include clear protocols for composting and plastic separation, food rescue programs at all dining halls modeling Eat After Eight at Vic, as well as compliance mechanisms. The goal is to move beyond the current patchwork of practices and adopt a unified, effective system.

  2. Creation of Reusables “Hubs” Across Campus
    We propose establishing accessible reusables stations in common areas — kitchens, storage rooms, and basements — that would serve as shared resources for all community members (students, faculty, staff, and administration) for meetings and events. This approach encourages collective ownership, reduces waste, and flattens hierarchies around resource access.

  3. Accelerating Sustainable Practices in Food Services
    We seek to expand low-waste and fair-trade models, such as those practiced by Caffiends at Victoria College, across all UofT cafes and dining halls. Coordinating and pooling resources between food service providers could lead to more equitable and environmentally responsible practices campus-wide.

  4. Integrated Food Sovereignty Education
    We believe food justice should be embedded into community life, not just promoted through awareness campaigns. We envision programs such as interactive discussion groups, shadowing opportunities at sustainable cafés, and certificate-based sustainability education. These could build on existing programs while tailoring them specifically to food sovereignty and justice.

We wish the Network success in its negotiations with the Administration of Victoria College to address food waste and food sovereignty.

In solidarity,

UTFA Executive Committee