Food Security through Urban Agriculture and Restaurant Food Waste Management

(Environmental Research 170-401)

On the City of Montreal, Quebec

Food Security through Urban Agriculture and Restaurant Food Waste Management

Food Security: A Definition

The term "food security" refers to a food system based on:

Food security can be assessed on many scales, ranging from the global to the individual. It is brought about by the combination of many factors: people committed to its realization, coordination between organizations, and the management of available resources.

This research project investigates various food security initiatives in the Montreal area. We are comprised of four independent research projects, each focussing on a different aspect of the following research question:
 

What are some of the initiatives taken in Montreal to contribute to food security?

The first section of this report provides a social history of community gardens in Montreal. Community garden movements have often been committed to achieving food security, and this section will give a sense of the various approaches to this goal in Montreal's recent past. The second section of the report takes a closer look at one community garden organization in particular, Eco-initiatives in Montreal. This research group conducted a cost-benefit assessment of Eco-initiatives' operations. The third section of the report describes a water collection system designed for Eco-initiatives, as an example of a real-life problem faced by the organization. The fourth section broadens our group's focus on community gardens, and investigates means of incorporating restaurant waste into food security initiatives. The report concludes with a summary of our findings.

Social History of Community Gardens in Montreal
Cost-Benefit Assessment
Water Collection System
Restaurant Waste Management Systems