Published on November 9, 2022
Hospitals welcome local farmers
The 4th edition of the event Les institutions mangent local! took place from September 19 to 23, 2022. Aliments du Québec au menu invited institutions across Quebec to take both small and large actions within their communities to celebrate products from Quebec. To highlight this annual event, a series of five articles was developed in collaboration with HRImag to showcase institutions that participated in the movement.
The third profile features the Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux (CISSS) de Lanaudière.
The CISSS de Lanaudière participated in the Les institutions mangent local! event from September 19 to 23, 2022—an initiative of the Aliments du Québec au menu program—in an original way. A mini market was organized at Centre hospitalier De Lanaudière (Joliette) and Hôpital Pierre-Le Gardeur (Terrebonne).
About ten farmers and artisans presented their products to employees and visitors of these healthcare facilities, creating a lively atmosphere that encouraged many conversations. This activity aligned with the CISSS de Lanaudière’s goal of increasing its purchases of locally produced foods. Among the many producers and processors present were several members of Aliments du Québec, including Folle farine, Miel Morand, Méchant Mix, and Champimignons.
“The CISSS de Lanaudière,” explains Jany Dumont, nutritionist in Food Services, “is now part of the Aliments du Québec au menu program as part of the National Strategy for the Purchase of Quebec Foods (SNAAQ). We quantified our purchases at Hôpital Pierre-Le Gardeur with the help of the Centre of Expertise from the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ). Currently, 34% of the foods on our menus are products from Quebec.”
This is good news for the CISSS, which now has a clear starting point for increasing its purchases. The overall picture will become even clearer as the quantification project expands to all CISSS facilities, including long-term care centers (CHSLD) and rehabilitation centers for youth with adjustment difficulties (CRJDA), all currently under analysis. Results are expected in the coming weeks.
“In this spirit, we wanted to demonstrate our interest in increasing the number of local products in our food offerings. By inviting farmers and artisans into our facilities, we gave them visibility and allowed many employees and visitors to discover their products.”
Mélanie Primeau, Assistant Director of Technical Services for Food Services, Hygiene, and Sanitation
“A positive and creative activity during the pandemic context is truly appreciated by employees,” adds Jany Dumont.
Although food tastings were not allowed due to hygiene protocols in place, the 400 participants who visited the booths during the two days of the event greatly appreciated this opportunity to discover the agricultural products of the Lanaudière region. The farmers reported that they exceeded their sales expectations and hope to participate again next year.
The CISSS, which has been working for less than a year to integrate local foods into a standardized menu across all its facilities, was recognized by the Aliments du Québec au menu program in July 2022. Its action plan to reach new realistic targets will include some challenges: since most purchases are made through the government procurement center and through group purchasing, collaboration will be necessary.
“We will need to work closely with procurement teams to find possible solutions to increase our local purchases.”
— Mélanie Primeau, Assistant Director of Technical Services for Food Services, Hygiene, and Sanitation
The event Les institutions mangent local! is an initiative of the Aliments du Québec au menu program (developed by Aliments du Québec and Équiterre, with the support of the Quebec Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food) in collaboration with the 100% Local Challenge.
This article is presented in collaboration with:
