Canada is rapidly rethinking its global economic and trading relationships in the face of tariffs and other economic pressure from the Trump administration.

As we look to strengthen ties with the European Union (EU) and build a more resilient Canadian economy, we should also look at what we can learn from our European partners about some of the challenges we share.

Food waste is a good place to start.

Canada produces an abundance of food, yet we don’t capture the full value of what we grow, process and bring to market. A 2024 report from Second Harvest, Canada’s largest food rescue organization, estimates that nearly half the food (p. 6) produced in this country is wasted and 41.7 per cent (p. 6) of that waste – worth an estimated $58 billion annually (p. 11) – is avoidable, despite it being a problem with many solutions.

Avoidable food waste happens at every stage of the supply chain. Farmers experiencing a bumper harvest could have difficulty finding buyers for their excess crop, changes in consumer preference could leave retailers with surplus inventory or confusion over “best-before” date labelling could lead to consumers throwing away food that’s still good to eat.

The EU has already made great progress in reducing food waste. Canada does not need to copy its approach. Our food system, geography and federal structure are different.

But we can learn from the principles it uses – measure consistently, establish a baseline, set targets and track progress on practical measures. This will help governments and industry track development, assess returns on investment and target the most effective interventions.

Not just a household or waste management issue

Avoidable food waste from production through the retail and hospitality industries alone costs $17.7 billion annually (p. 11), equivalent to roughly 12 per cent of all spending by these........

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