Overall Rating	Platinum
Overall Score	86.26
Liaison	Karen Oberer
Submission Date	Jan. 17, 2024

STARS v2.2

McGill University
OP-8: Sustainable Dining

Status	Score	Responsible Party
	2.00 / 2.00	Karen Oberer Sustainability Officer McGill Office of Sustainability

"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1. Sustainable dining initiatives

Local community engagement

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host a farmers market, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery program, or urban agriculture project, or support such a program in the local community?:

Yes

A brief description of the farmers market, CSA or urban agriculture project:

The McGill Farmers' Market (MFM) is a weekly fall market and a gathering spot for students, faculty, and community members to discover local foods. With more than ten local suppliers, the Market provides the opportunity for downtown residents to connect to the agricultural community of Quebec. Products include organic produce, homemade preserves, baked goods and breads, honey, fair-trade coffee and teas, eggs, maple products, and more.

In addition to the weekly market, the MFM organizes a community supported agriculture (CSA) program, which provides our community with local and seasonal produce throughout the summer and fall. Basket members can choose from a variety of sizes and farms, according to their needs.

Creating community connections is vital to the Market's mission. As such, the MFM seeks out partnerships with various groups on campus and in the community. For example, the MFM has a long-standing partnership with the Macdonald Campus Farm. The MFM is always seeking out opportunities to deepen its connections with community.

McGill Farmers' Market: http://www.mcgillfarmersmarket.org/
Macdonald Campus Farm: https://www.mcgill.ca/macdonaldfarm/

Sustainability-themed outlet

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host a sustainability-themed food outlet on-site, either independently or in partnership with a contractor or retailer?:

A brief description of the sustainability-themed food outlet:

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Inclusive and local sourcing

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor support disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through its food and beverage purchasing?:

Yes

A brief description of the support for disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local SMEs:

McGill requires that at least half of all food and beverages provided in the dining halls be sourced from local enterprises. Several of these are SMEs, including Berthelet, Hector Larivée, J.G. Rive-Sud Fruits et Légumes, Verger Le Gros Pierre, Mandy's Salads, and many more.

McGill also requires that nearly half of its in-season produce be sourced from local suppliers (i.e., within 500km of Montreal's downtown campus). Hector Larivée and J.G. Rive-Sud Fruits et Légumes, mentioned above, are also SMEs.

Estimated percentage of total food and beverage expenditures on products from disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local SMEs:

Low-impact dining

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host low impact dining events or promote plant-forward options?:

Yes

A brief description of the low impact dining events and/or plant-forward options:

McGill's food provider, Dana Hospitality, offers Meatless Mondays, which includes a reduced price lunch deal to encourage students to eat less meat and reduce the environmental impact of their diet.

Vegan dining program

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a vegan dining program that makes diverse, complete-protein vegan options available to every member of the campus community at every meal?:

Yes

A brief description of the vegan dining program:

Across McGill, at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, customers can choose from a vegetarian/vegan selection that includes soup, sandwiches, sushi, salads (both vegetable and grain), chef-made entrees, made to order pasta or stir fry, pizza, veggie burgers, soy beverages, and snack items in all dining halls, but not all retail locations due to the variety of food offered at each location. Vegetarian selections are often, but not always, vegan. There is an emphasis on complete-protein options.

Labelling and signage

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor inform customers about low impact food choices and sustainability practices through labelling and signage in dining halls?:

Yes

A brief description of the sustainability labelling and signage in dining halls:

Local, Macdonald Farm, Marine Stewardship Certified (MSC), Fair Trade, Vegan and Vegetarian options are labelled in residential dining halls to educate students to make choices that align with their dietary priorities and needs.

Part 2. Food waste minimization and recovery

Food recovery program

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor participate in a competition or commitment program and/or use a food waste prevention system to track and improve its food management practices?:

A brief description of the food recovery competition or commitment program or food waste prevention system:

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Trayless dining and portion modifications

Has the institution or its primary dining services contractor implemented trayless dining (in which trays are removed from or not available in dining halls) and/or modified menus/portions to reduce post-consumer food waste?:

Yes

A brief description of the trayless dining or modified menu/portion program:

Trays have been removed from the dining halls as of Fall 2023.

Food donation

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor donate food that would otherwise go to waste to feed people?:

Yes

A brief description of the food donation program:

Food and Dining Services donates leftover perishable goods to the Old Brewery Mission shelter and to the student-run program, MealCare. MealCare diverts surplus food from McGill’s cafes and cafeterias to help feed people in need. Since it first started operations in 2017, the organization has served more than 24,000 meals to Montrealers facing food security challenges.
https://www.mealcare.org/

As of Fall 2023, the current contracted food provider, Dana Hospitality, is working with MealCare to donate food that would otherwise go to waste.

Food materials diversion

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor divert food materials from the landfill, incinerator or sewer for animal feed or industrial uses?:

Yes

A brief description of the food materials diversion program:

Since at least 2018, McGill has contracted the services of Compost Montreal to collect cooking oil from residences. In 2022, 7,280L of useable cooking oil was collected from residences. Compost Montreal reports that the oil collected is transformed into biodiesel.

http://compostmontreal.com/

Composting

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a pre-consumer composting program?:

Yes

A brief description of the pre-consumer composting program:

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a post-consumer composting program?:

Yes

A brief description of the post-consumer composting program:

The Food and Dining Services contractor partners with Compost Montreal to divert organic waste from landfills. The organization recycles fryer oil, collects coffee grinds, collect kitchen trims and post-consumer food waste.

Also, Eco Stations in the dining halls allow students to sort their leftovers by either landfill, recycling, or compost. Student Housing and Hospitality Services hires about 30 Waste Educators each year to help students learn to sort their compost properly. In 2022, 225,000 Litres (195 tonnes) of organic waste was diverted from the landfill.

Dine-in service ware

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor utilize reusable service ware for “dine in” meals?:

Yes

A brief description of the reusable service ware program:

Take-away materials

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor provide reusable and/or third party certified compostable containers and service ware for “to-go” meals (in conjunction with an on-site composting program)?:

Yes

A brief description of the compostable containers and service ware:

As of Fall 2023, the McGill Dining Halls are dine-in only and have eliminated all single-use beverage and takeout containers, disposable cutlery, and retail style packaging.
https://www.mcgill.ca/foodservices/mealplans/residential

McGill dining halls and most on-campus vendors provide compostable coffee cups. As of Summer 2023, all residences have compost bins available on each floor. The dining hall waste bins include a compost stream, as well.

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor offer discounts or other incentives to customers who use reusable containers instead of disposable or compostable containers in “to-go” food service operations?:

Yes

A brief description of the reusable container discount or incentives program:

There is a "lug-a-mug" option in residence dining halls, where coffee and tea are discounted by 25 cents when clients use their own mug.
https://www.mcgill.ca/foodservices/sustainability/greenpractices

Optional Fields

A brief description of other sustainability-related initiatives not covered above:

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Website URL where information about the sustainable dining programs is available:

https://www.mcgill.ca/foodservices/sustainability

Additional documentation to support the submission:

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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.