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How Cutting Red Tape Could Reduce Food Waste and Feed More People
July 17, 2026
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July 17, 2026
Every day, Second Harvest has the privilege of working with an incredible network of non-profit partners feeding communities across Canada, including more than 2,300 partners in Ontario.
From food banks and shelters to community meal programs and school nutrition initiatives, these organizations strive to make food accessible in welcoming, dignified ways. They stretch every dollar, every volunteer hour and every donation to support their communities.
Our non-profit partners show us what works — and where unintended barriers make it harder to feed people. Through our shared recommendations to Ontario's Ministry of Red Tape Reduction, we aim to highlight practical changes that would make food safety guidance clearer, more consistent and easier for charitable food programs to navigate, while maintaining the strong public health protections Ontarians rely on.
The Ministry of Red Tape Reduction works across government to modernize rules that are burdensome, inefficient or inflexible and to reduce unnecessary administrative burden.
Food safety rules in Ontario are set out under the Health Protection and Promotion Act and related regulations. While these standards are strong and important for protecting public health, their interpretation and enforcement are carried out locally by public health units across the province, which can result in differences in how rules are understood and applied. For community food organizations, this can mean inconsistent guidance and unnecessary challenges to everyday operations.
When food safety guidance is interpreted differently across jurisdictions, it can create real operational challenges for non-profit food programs. These organizations are doing their best to meet strong food safety standards, including navigating rules that don’t always reflect the realities of community-based kitchens and volunteer-run spaces.
- Trying to fit food preparation, service and storage into small spaces that are also expected to include separate staff changing areas. In many community programs, every square foot is already in use.
- Managing uncertainty around food labelling rules, particularly the difference between expiry dates and best before dates, which can lead to safe food being discarded unnecessarily.
- Adapting dishwashing practices to meet a required two- or three-sink method when there is limited space or no commercial dishwasher available. Many organizations would benefit from alternative approaches that still achieve safe sanitation outcomes, such as approved portable handwashing options.
- Working within budgets that make it difficult to implement requirements like colour-coded cutting boards for different food types. Many non-profits rely instead on simpler systems that still prioritize safe food handling.
Deciding how to handle donated kitchenware, including chipped mugs or bowls. In some cases, organizations carefully repair or smooth minor chips to continue using items safely, rather than discarding them.
Across Ontario’s community food programs, the intent is the same: maintaining safe, dignified food service. What varies is how the rules are interpreted and what is required to meet them in practice. This points to the need for clearer and more consistent provincial guidance that reflects how community food programs operate.
1. Standardize Public Health Interpretation of Food Premises Regulations for Charitable Food Programs
We recommend the Ontario government develop a centralized provincial guidance document for the Food Premises Regulation specifically tailored to low-risk charitable and community food programs.
What it means for local public health units and non-profits: This would reduce inconsistent interpretation across public health units, helping charitable and community food programs operate with greater certainty. It would reduce unnecessary spending on facility changes or equipment driven by differing local interpretations, lower administrative burden and help prevent avoidable food waste caused by unclear or conflicting guidance.
The Ontario government should modernize provincial food safety communications and guidance materials to explicitly reflect the federal distinction between best before dates (peak quality) and expiry dates (food safety). This should include:
- Province-issued guidance stating clearly that unopened, properly stored food past its best before date can be donated and consumed, aligning with federal standards.
- A communication directive for public health inspectors to ensure consistent messaging across all 34 public health units.
What this means for our food system and the charitable sector: One of the biggest opportunities to reduce unnecessary food waste is improving understanding of date labels.
A best before date tells consumers when food is expected to be at its best quality — not when it becomes unsafe to eat. Under federal guidance, unopened food that has been stored properly can still be donated and consumed after its best before date if it remains safe to eat.
Yet misconceptions persist among food donors, community organizations and even across public health jurisdictions. As a result, safe, nutritious food is often discarded instead of helping people who need it.
Clarifying date labelling and donation rules could reduce unnecessary food waste, support food donation efforts and ensure province-wide consistency in public health messaging.
Every day, Ontario's community food organizations turn limited resources into meaningful impact. Clear, consistent guidance would help them spend less time navigating uncertainty and more time doing what they do best: feeding communities.
When we remove unnecessary barriers, we make it easier for good food to reach the people who need it most.
