Ontario Ministry Includes MMC’s MEALsource Solution in 2025 Local Food Report

What do trade tariffs and hospital food have in common? The answer revolves around the resilience of our food supply chain and its effects on food sovereignty. While trade tariffs have been front and centre in recent news, we rarely make the connection between domestic food production and nutrition programs supporting our hospitals and schools.

In 2017, a report from The Canadian Malnutrition Task Force determined that malnourished patients typically remain in hospital two to three days longer than average. Add to that the average distance a hospital meal travels to reach a patient is 4,500 kms, and it’s clear why local, quality nutritional resources are a significant driver of wellness and sustainability.

Candice Bird, director of Mohawk Medbuy’s (MMC) MEALsource nutritional procurement division, understands the significance of sourcing food locally, particularly in times of economic friction. MMC, a national, not-for-profit supply chain organization, oversees nutrition sourcing for hospitals, long-term care, student programs and other groups. "As contract facilitators in support of public institutions, one of our principal objectives is to promote the idea of public dollars for public good,” says Candice Bird. “Local food protects members from the impacts of the global trade landscape. It also promotes a resilient food system with community benefits, sustainability and regional economic support."

Launched in 1992, MEALsource enables MMC Members to participate in contracts for food supplies, benefiting from aggregated volume pricing, while meeting each organization's unique nutritional requirements. MEALsource’s 65 Member organizations participate in the product selection process, which includes over 1,000 items from 130+ manufacturers and vendors as well as locally sourced, high-quality products, wherever possible.

Recently, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness published their 2025 Local Food Report, highlighting the current strengths of Ontario’s local food economy. Driven in part by the province’s Building Ontario’s Business Initiative (BOBI), the report includes a look at procurement and supply chain mechanisms supporting Ontario food producers by highlighting the benefits of MEALsource’s nutrition services.

MEALsource’s objectives work in tandem with MMC’s broader Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) program in relation to sustainability, and social initiatives. By reducing the distance food travels from farm to plate, supporting local farmers and providing culturally relevant nutrition, Members and vendors obtain guidance on the best path to meet their responsibilities and organizational goals.

Wendy Smith, a Sourcing Manager on the MEALsource team, collaborates with relevant nutritional organizations such as Nourish, a national sustainable food initiative for health care, and the Canadian Food Policy Advisory Council. The Coolfood Pledge, Nourish’s signature environmental program, helps guide health care organizations towards establishing a more sustainable food cycle. It’s targeting a 25% reduction in hospital-based greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030.

“MMC is the first shared services organization in Canada to support the Coolfood Pledge, which works with our Nutrition Members to reduce waste and food-related greenhouse gases,” says Wendy. “In order to assist in a systemic shift, we prioritize educating both vendors and members in support of sustainable, culturally relevant and appealing choices in service to patients and students. Research has repeatedly shown that appealing foods help improve patient recovery and student learning.”

Hospital systems are among some of the Coolfood pledge members. Heather Fletcher, Senior Director of Food, Transport and Environmental Services at Unity Health Toronto worked with the MEALsource team to add locally procured Indigenous food items to their hospital menus.

“The impact of food on patients is important to the patient experience,” she says. “It also requires education as a component of food diversification and sustainability goals.”

The significant growth of the MEALsource program in Ontario and nationally over the last few years attests to the increasing appeal for local food among health organizations, particularly as international tariffs challenge food sovereignty and security. Quality, diversity, sustainability and access are critical to the success of a resilient food supply chain enabling local food programs. As the saying goes, food is the ingredient that binds us together.

Sources:

Canadian Malnutrition Task Force, Report from 2017.

The Greenbelt Foundation. Accessed 2025.