Planetary health at major events on the menu

Turning Events into a Driving Force for Global Health

While the global reality is clear—our food system must urgently transform to respect the planet’s limits—this transition has yet to take place in Quebec. At Équiterre, we believe that moving from theory to practice requires powerful collective showcases.

That is why we have identified a priority lever for change: the events sector. The challenge we are taking on with this project is to mobilize event organizers so they can become ambassadors for planetary health menus. 

In addition to providing food, each event becomes an opportunity to:

• Bring decision-makers and guests together around a table where good food means plant-based proteins, whole grains, and local ingredients;
• Demonstrate the economic viability of these menus by promoting local marketing and highlighting the expertise of our local producers;
• Normalize new habits by proving, through a gourmet experience, that nutritious, local, and sustainable food is not only necessary but also delicious and beneficial to our health;
• By transforming banquets, conferences, and festivals into living laboratories for planetary health, we create a ripple effect that extends beyond the individual plate to sustainably influence our collective systems.

_{^{1. Based on a cross-reference of data from Statistics Canada (Registre des entreprises SCIAN 7223) and MAPAQ (MAPAQ (2024), Le Bioalimentaire économique - Bilan de l'année 2024)}}

While sustainable food has always been at the core of Équiterre’s mission, our expertise in event planning was initially built through the creation of guides on eco-friendly events and benefit cocktail parties. This initiative will take a significant step forward in 2024 with the launch of strategic partnerships and pilot projects in the field.

Équiterre focuses primarily on:

• Promoting the marketing of local and sustainable foods to catering services and event organizers;
• Creating demand among informed buyers.

Ultimately, this work aims to facilitate direct sourcing for events through practical tools and networks with key players in Quebec’s supply chain.

Discover how our pilot projects and strategic partnerships are already transforming the face of Montreal events.