Good Greens program helps to limit food waste while supporting local farmers
Steve Bouchard is a local farmer who sells his wares at the downtown Windsor Farmer’s Market.
“Yeah, it helps me as a vendor for sure,” said Bouchard, who, like other locals, is competing against international vendors for shelf space in grocery stores. “It's very difficult for us to compete and it's very important to keep our little business going.”
The owner of Bouchard Farms is a regular at the downtown Farmer's Market and appreciates how the Good Greens Reclamation Program hosts him and the community, “This definitely helps at the end of the day when I can move more of my produce.”
The program will be around for a second year thanks to a $25,000 donation Thursday.
“Thanks to Hydro One who stepped up, we could continue the program, which is enormously impactful in the downturn, in particular because of it being a food desert [in downtown Windsor] and because we have so many social service agencies in the city center,” he said.
Not everything sells at the farmers market.
“In the years past, I would bring it back here (to his farm) or try to bring it to the mission or try to resell it,” Bouchard said.
Some of the produce would eventually spoil. Under the Good Greens program, produce is moved within an hour to local non-profit organizations.
“We're able to use it to create nutritious meals for our people,” said Jessica Macasaet-Bondy, a representative from the Welcome Centre Shelter for Women and Families. “We are also able to support the greater community, people that are struggling with food insecurity through our food bank and we can create food packages for people moving out of homelessness into housing.”
Year one of the Good Green Program produced some impressive numbers. There was 6,400 pounds of fresh produce reclaimed and 10,000 meals served in the community, thanks to the connection between local farms, small businesses , and nonprofit organizations.
The Hydro One grant will carry the program through June of 2025.
“It's great,” exclaimed Bouchard. “But in the end I just love hearing from people who receive this produce and, you know, it makes me emotional.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.7033237.1726023999!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Harris-Trump U.S. presidential debate offers different visions for America's future
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump made their case to American voters during a debate in Philadelphia, during which the Democratic U.S. vice president and former Republican U.S. president laid out different visions for America's future.
Trump insists Russia's war should end. But he won't say if he wants Ukraine to win
Former U.S. president Donald Trump spoke heatedly in the presidential debate about wanting Russia's war in Ukraine to be over — but twice refused to directly answer a question about whether he wanted U.S. ally Ukraine to win.
FACT CHECK: A look at the false and misleading claims made during the Trump-Harris debate
In their first and perhaps only debate, former U.S. president Donald Trump and U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris described the state of the country in starkly different terms. As the two traded jabs, some old false and misleading claims emerged along with some new ones.
Taylor Swift endorses Kamala Harris for U.S. president after debate ends
Taylor Swift, one of the music industry's biggest stars, endorsed Kamala Harris for president shortly after the debate ended on Tuesday night.
Key quotes from the Trump-Harris 2024 U.S. presidential debate
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris and former U.S. president Donald Trump took the stage on Tuesday night for their first and only scheduled presidential debate before the Nov. 5 election.
Most of Canada is predicted to have a warmer-than-normal fall: The Weather Network
Don't put away your summer wardrobe just yet – The Weather Network says most Canadians are in for a warm fall.
French authorities foiled 3 plots targeting the Paris Olympics, counterterrorism prosecutor says
French authorities foiled three plots to attack the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris and other cities that hosted the summer events, the national counterterrorism prosecutor said on Wednesday.
U.S. commemorates 9/11 attacks with victims in focus, but politics in view
The U.S. is remembering the lives taken and those reshaped by 9/11, marking an anniversary laced this year with presidential campaign politics.
Calls for more protections for Canadian bank clients amid rise in scams
When two Ontario women were scammed out of more than $80,000 in separate bank investigator scams, they thought they would be reimbursed by their banks and were shocked when they weren't.