History of Slow Food in Canada

Slow Food has been active in different regions in Canada for more than 10 years, with a particularly strong presence in Montreal, Ontario and British Columbia. During this time, Slow Food has become one of the most important bi-lingual food organizations in Canada. Today, more then one thousand members belong to thirty convivia which span the country from Newfoundland and Cape Breton Island to Vancouver Island and even Whitehorse in the Yukon.  Slow Food membership in Canada has been stable at around 1,300 members since 2008. Toronto has the largest convivium with roughly 200 members.

In 2002, current Slow Food Canada president Mara Jernigan became the Canadian representative on the International Ark Committee  and soon afterwards launched the first of what are now 13 uniquely Canadian foods to the Ark of Taste and Biodiversity*. In 2003, the first Canadian Presidium project was launched to protect Red Fife Wheat, a tasty variety of hard, red spring wheat. This wheat, widely grown across Canada since the mid 1800′s  almost disappeared when the Canadian Wheat Board set up their criteria to turn Canada into a country of high production wheat varieties. Through the Red Fife Wheat Presidium, Slow Food in Canada helped to develop a network of farmers, millers, bakers and lovers of artisan bread who have collectively helped to boost production from less than a ton to over 500 tons annually, in essence, re commercialized this delicious wheat. It has been baked and served at Terra Madre & Salone del Gusto events in 2004, 2006 & 2008.  The current ark coordinator is Tabitha Steager. (tabithasteager@yahoo.it)

Canada has had a representative to the International Council, Dr. Sinclair Philip from Sooke Harbour House, who has attended annual meetings on Canada’s behalf since 2003. During this time Canada has been instrumental in raising several important issues with Slow Food International, including the issue of the degradation to wild salmon in Canada, caused by farmed salmon which led to the creation of the Canada’s  Wild Salmon Manifesto.

One of Slow Food’s major initiatives has been Terra Madre, the world meeting of food communities, which was in held in 2004, 2006 and 2008 in Turin Italy. Since that time, Canadian Convivia have sent close to 500  delegates, comprised of farmers, chefs and youth to this important Slow Food event to learn, network and share their experiences about supporting their local food communities. These delegates have returned to Canada inspired. They have planted school gardens and started educational cooking programs, practiced new growing techniques and developed new artisanal products, As a result these efforts and initiatives, Slow Food Canada has seen a four fold increase in youth memberships in the last 2 years.

Since it’s opening in 2003, Canada has had several of it’s leading academics teach at the Slow Food University of Gastronomy in Pollenzo, including Professor Nancy Turner from the University of Victoria, an ethno botanist specializing in traditional foods of the first nations peoples and anthropologist Dr. Rachel Black and Marine biologist, Dr. Sinclair Philip and Professor John Volpe from the University of Victoria and author of the Wild Salmon Manifesto presented at Slow Food’s Slow Fish event in Genoa.

Canada has also had several students attend and graduate from the Slow Food University of Gastronomy.  Daniele Mereu, from Victoria B.C., was among the first graduating class from the three- year program in Pollenzo, followed by Natalie Jenson, both from British Columbia. Broadcaster and journalist Don Genova, Rona Adams and David Santos successfully completed the UNISG’s one year program in Colorno Italy.

Chefs Adam Pegg, owner of La Quercia restaurant in Vancouver and Mara Jernigan are two Canadian chefs that have completed Ital Cook, the Slow Food Master of Italian Cooking program for chefs in the Marche region. Two Canadians, Anthropologist Tabitha Staeger, and Italian-Canadian Rosie Fabiano worked in the Slow Food offices in Bra assisting Canadian delegates to Terra Madre.

Slow Food in Canada has held 4 National convivium leaders meetings, the first in Montreal in 2005, Calgary in 2006, Whistler in 2007, Toronto in 2009 and Halifax /Wolfville Nova Scotia in 2010.

Slow Food Ark Products:

Canadian Cow                      Montreal Melon

Red Fife Wheat                    Herring Spawn on Kelp

Great Plains Bison              Chantecler Chicken

Nodding Onion                    Miners Lettuce

Saskatoon Berry                  Nova Scotia Gravestein Apple

Tamworth Pig                      Fundy Dulse

Tancook Island Sauerkraut

Contacts:

Slow Food Canada Acting President-Mara Jernigan

mara@fairburnfarm.bc.ca 250 746-4637

International Councilor- Sinclair Philip

sinclair@sookeharbourhouse.com 1800 889-9688 #203

Ark Coordinator-Tabitha Steager – tabithasteager@yahoo.com 250-548-3514

Slow Food Toronto-Paul Decampo 647 404-5968 decampo@idirect.com

Slow Food Prince Edward County-Rebecca LeHeup Bucknell

rebecca@ontarioculinary.com 613 471-0102