Food Service:

Feeding Saint-Laurent: A social and circular economy model to ensure the food security of Montreal-Saint-Laurent.

The Montreal-Saint-Laurent food security project offers a service that is accessible to citizens, by promoting the design, development, and emergence of more inclusive and sustainable food systems in Saint-Laurent.

COCLA has three food safety services:

1. Neighborhood Grocery Store (Social Economy):

An ESC model developed by COCLA (Hub, which started in 2015, with the participation of experienced citizens who love their community and their neighborhood, taking advantage of this initiative which allows neighborhood beneficiaries to have access to an economical grocery store, aimed at preserving the dignity of people and improving their purchasing power. Thanks to this ESC model, the grocery store becomes a place that promotes:

1. 1- The employability of Laurentian youth
2. Development of food projects
3. Accessibility of the budget of Laurentian families
4. A workplace of exchanges to counter social isolation
5. An innovation platform in the food sector

Address: 1873 Saint-Louis Street (Corner Marcel-Laurin boulevard) Montreal, QC, H4M 1N5

Opening hours: Monday: 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday: 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Metro: Du Collège, Buses: 128

Harvest food counter (Circular economy):

A model that began in September 1979 to fight against food insecurity in Saint-Laurent. Serving vulnerable and low-income households in the Saint-Laurent neighborhood, the Harvest food counter becomes a food alternative that provides residents with a place of sustainable and sufficient food access.

Address: 1357 Rue Saint-Louis, Montreal, QC, H4L 2P4

Opening hours: Monday: 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Metro: Du Collège, Note: 1-minute walk from the metro (Cartier/Ouimet exit)

Food Recovery:

Food recovery in Montreal aims to reduce food waste and fight food insecurity. It consists of collecting and redistributing unsold, but still edible, food from supermarkets, restaurants, and local producers.

Project objectives:

• Reduce waste by diverting food from landfills.
• Help vulnerable people by offering meals or food baskets.
• Support the circular economy by transforming surpluses into new products.

Key players:

Moisson Montréal and La Tablée des Chefs redistribute surpluses to food banks.

Impacts:

Environmental, social, and economic impacts, promoting sustainable management of food resources.

4- Food Processing:

Nutri-COCLA – An Integration and Social Economy Project

Nutri-COCLA is a socio-professional integration and social economy project active since 2013 in the Saint-Laurent district. Its main mission is to transform recovered food in order to improve access to healthy and local products, distributed to the Neighborhood Grocery Store and the Harvest food counter, the schools counter, and the seniors counter.

Project objectives:

• Reduce food waste by recycling surplus food.
• Improve food security for vulnerable populations by providing them with nutritious and affordable options.
• Promote social inclusion by responding to the needs of multicultural diversity, particularly by supporting marginalized communities.
• Promote the circular economy by creating added value through the processing of recovered food.

A Commitment to Inclusion and Diversity

Nutri-COCLA stands out for its inclusive and community approach, aiming to strengthen equitable access to food, while respecting cultural diversity and the specific needs of vulnerable groups.

This project represents a lever for social innovation to encourage solidarity, fight against food insecurity, and support sustainable development in the neighborhood.