Project that redistributes unsold produce from Jean-Talon Market gets cash boost

A community project in Montreal's RosemontLa Petite Patrie neighbourhood is getting a much-needed injection of funds to help it distribute unsold fruit and vegetables from the Jean-Talon Market to families in need.

Started last year by the Centre de ressources et d'action communautaire La Petite-Patrie (CRAC-PP), the project is getting $85,000 from the RosemontLa Petite-Patrie borough to purchase some much-needed equipment.

The money from the borough will go towards the purchase of a refrigerated truck and a refrigerated container to store the unsold produce at the market.

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CRAC-PP is also hoping to build a cold storage room and a small commercial-grade kitchen at its headquarters where some of the produce can be converted into products like jams and sauces for resale.

"Low-income families are well-represented in the borough and our pilot project has proven that it exists for a reason," saidthe organization'sdirector NathalieBouchard.

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Franois Croteau, the mayor of RosemontLa Petite-Patrie, said it's hoped the one-time contribution will help solidify the initiative.

"For years, nothing like this existed; it was easier to just throw it in the garbage," he said.

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Croteau said he would like to see restaurants and supermarkets in the borough follow the example of vendors at the Jean-Talon market.

"To have them realize that food can have a second life, that they can serve it to people in need in this borough and that they can voluntarily get involved in this project would mark a nice change in attitude," Croteau said.

He said that, ideally, 200 tonnes of food could be recuperated each year.

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