Skip to navigation Skip to content

1 min

The ENHARMONIE network teams up with Equiterre to study ways to purchase more local food for its kitchens

Published on 

Montreal, November 14, 2013 The ENHARMONIE network, which manages 10 residences with services for seniors on the island of Montreal, has teamed up with Equiterre to study opportunities to increase the amount of Quebec produce that is purchased for preparing its meals. Five hot meals are served from Monday to Friday in the residences, totalling over 240,000 meals per year.

“We’re committed to keeping rents as low as possible to make sure they are affordable for our tenants,” states network director Debbie Di Chiaro. “But at the same time, we appreciate how important it is to prepare our dishes using local ingredients. With Equiterre, we’ll be evaluating how much local food we buy already and then study how to buy more without increasing our costs.” To launch the study, a “food happening” took place today at Résidence Le Mile-End, located in the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough. Tenants were able to eat local foods, discover certain lesser-known vegetables and learn how to insist on local and organic produce in grocery stores.

“Eating local brings with it a whole host of benefits: for the local economy, for health – since food is fresher and more nutritious – and for the environment by reducing transportation,” explains Equiterre’s deputy director, Isabelle St-Germain. “Up until now, we have worked alongside several organizations to make their food services more environmentally friendly and we’re excited to bring this expertise to the ENHARMONIE network. It’s the tenants who will get the most benefit from having tasty local produce in their daily meals,” adds Ms. St-Germain.

The ENHARMONIE network is an initiative of the Office municipal d’habitation de Montréal. It provides new, affordable, high quality housing for people with low or moderate incomes. The quality of its meals has been a priority in its residences for some time: seven of the 10 residences have their own chef and use recipes created specially for them by the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec.

For more information: www.residencesenharmonie.qc.ca et
www.equiterre.org.

-30-

Source:

Annette Frantz, OMHM, 514 872-6968

Julie Tremblay, Equiterre, 514-605-2000