The University of Toronto (U of T) announced earlier this year it will not renew its contract with food service provider Aramark on its St. George campus.
In a statement from U of T News, Anne Macdonald, U of T’s director of ancillary services, said the school will instead use kitchens directly operated by U of T using its own staff starting July 31.
“All of the outlets on campus will remain in operation after the switch and the campus catering previously provided by Aramark will transition to operation by the university. [The change is] going to allow us to ensure that healthy, nutritious food is available in all our food outlets and will give us more opportunity to develop meal plans that meet the needs of students,” the statement reads.
Macdonald added the most notable changes will include “fresher offerings in our retail locations, a wider variety of options in the residential dining program at New College, and a new focus on culinary excellence in all locations.”
Joshna Maharaj, Toronto-based chef and food service consultant, said she thinks this shift is a “step in the right direction,” as she said she thinks “food on campus is not just an irritating necessity, but that it is actually an integral component of student life and it is a requirement for academic excellence.”
“I don’t think that nearly enough post-secondary institutions are understanding this,” Maharaj said.
On the other hand, Lucinda Qu, vice-president (external) of the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU), said she has concerns about the shift in food services because the U of T administration has not adequately addressed concerns from students and food service workers regarding what “fresher offerings” means and whether or not current food service workers will retain their jobs.
“I think there is, on a public level, a disregard on the part of U of T’s admin, for the validity
of these concerns,” Qu said. “We don’t know what ‘fresh food’ will look like after this change. We don’t know if the people receiving this higher wage per hour are going to get as many hours as they need. Or if they will even retain their jobs at all, after a mandatory probation period.”
The Varsity reported the union that represents food service workers at U of T, UNITE HERE Local 75, held a protest and march on May 11. Nearly 150 attendees gathered outside the gates at King’s College Road to voice their concerns about the upcoming changes with U of T’s food services, which they argue will affect food service workers’ labour contracts.
They also held a hunger strike from June 9 to June 15, which coincided with U of T’s convocation.
Nicole Davis, food garden coordinator at the U of T Food Policy Council, said “there was almost no recognition of [the strike] by the university, and it’s pretty disappointing to see that.”
Davis added she thinks U of T needs to have an open dialogue with food service workers about creating equitable campus food services.
“So far, the university has ignored a lot of the issues that workers have been raising, and ignoring the issues students in solidarity have been raising,” Davis said. “I think there are a lot of good intentions behind the transition, but there needs to be more of a dialogue with the people actually working the jobs.”
According to the statement from Macdonald, the changes will affect 250 employees, and U of T is making employment offers to them, ensuring the positions they are placed in match their skills and interests.
“Our goal is to welcome the workers who were previously employed by Aramark on our St. George campus, but to do this a change of unions is required. These employees will continue to be represented by a union and will join the university with all the benefits that brings, including higher wages and improved benefits and will be eligible to enrol in the university’s pension plan,” the statement reads.
According to Davis, poor food quality is an issue at U of T, which is a large part of why the school decided to end its contract with Aramark.
“The food comes prepared, and frozen or in cans, and then all the food service workers are really doing is opening packages and defrosting things. It’s pretty poor quality and I think there’s a big movement, not just on campus but all over for better and more nutritious and equitably sourced food,” Davis said.
She added that there have been multiple student groups calling for changes to U of T’s food services as of late. She said they are asking for more equitable sourced food production, more locally sourced food, more ethical treatment for workers involved in food production on campus, longer hours of operation, more affordable food, and healthier, more nutritious food options.
Carleton University also has a contract with Aramark. Most food outlets on campus are run by the food service company. In recent years, other Canadian universities that use Aramark’s food services have encountered issues with the company.
According to Maclean’s, in 2013, students at Trent University boycotted Aramark by handing out free meals to students because of a “limited and often processed” food selection.
Last year, images surfaced online from Memorial University of raw meat and mouldy food from an Aramark cafeteria, according to CBC.
Ryerson University also had issues with Aramark. In 2013, the school didn’t renew its contract with the food service provider because it was revealed that Ryerson was paying millions to Aramark for running its food services at a loss.
Maharaj was hired by Ryerson as a consultant during the process of its food service changes.
“Students need to voice their opinion because that is how change came on the Ryerson campus. It was 100 per cent because the students were angry and they wouldn’t let up,” Maharaj said. “Food is now becoming a reason why a student will or will not choose a certain university.”
