Canadians cheer for soccer win Men return to World Cup after 36 years, boosting sport's status in Canada By JUAN RAMIREZ anadian soccer fans hope that Canada’s qualifica- tion for the World Cup in Qatar will boost the game in a country traditionally known for hockey. The Canadian men’s team 4-0 win against Jamaica in Toronto on March 27 secured Canada’s spot in the biggest soccer tournament in the world. After 36 years Canada will “T feel like everyone's getting behind it and I feel like it's not only good for the sport, but it's a good thing for the country that we've been able to make it this far. ” — MILO LABONTE, ST. REGIS BARAND GRILL BARTENDER participate in a men’s FIFA World Cup. The achievement comes less than a year after the women’s soccer team won a gold medal in the Olym- pics. Peter Schaad, the marketing and communications officer from the British Columbia Soccer Associa- tion, said this is a unique moment for Canadian soccer. “There has never been a time ever where women's team has won a gold medal and just a little under a year later, the men have qualified at the top of their CONCACAF group,” said Schaad. “Also never in history will you have a team playing in two World Cups in three and a half years, just given how Qatar was in Novem- ber, and then the 2026 World Cup will be in the traditional summer- time.” Schaad also hopes that this success would make people see Canada as more than just a hockey country on account of its long soccer history. He anticipates the recent success of the Canadian men’s team will motivate younger generations of Canadian soccer players to excel in the game. “T just really hope that this inspires both boys and girls to just stay in the game and continue on their path- way,” said Schaad. Milo Labonté, a bartender in St. Regis Bar and Grill in downtown Vancouver, said that when Canada is playing, there is a special feeling among the patrons. “T've gotten the pleasure to watch some of the games during work and the atmosphere in the building whenever Canada is playing is elec- tric,” said Labonté. “I feel like every- one's getting behind it and I feel like it's not only good for the sport, but it's a good thing for the country that we've been able to make it this far.” Sciencenews Patrons relax at the St. Regis Bar and Grill in Vancouver while a game of soccer plays on the televsion in the back- ground. JUAN RAMIREZ: PHOTO Despite the long time that it took for Canada to be back in a FIFA World Cup, Canadians are respond- ing to the success of their national teams. Natisha Singh, a SWAP worker at the Langara gym, said she is proud of the recent men’s soccer team achievement. “I'm very proud as a Canadian citizen that they made it,” Singh said. “Personally, I watch soccer, but like not the small events as the big events. So, I'll definitely be watching this to see if we can make it further.” Vancouver tackles food New initiative brings food waste problem to the table = By MICHAEL SU s the City of Vancouver prepares an initiative to reduce food waste, a profes- sor in UBC’s faculty of land and food systems says the city’s goal does not go far enough. The city is introducing a new system to help the local food indus- try tackle food price inflation. The Circular Food Innovation Lab will launch on April 27 and will focus on documenting and advising on ways to reduce food waste. “The act of wasting food isn't considered amoral or ethical dilemma. It is just the cost of business.” — WILL VALLEY, UBC PROFESSOR OF LAND AND FOOD SYSTEMS UBC’s Will Valley believes there are much more pressing issues than a management plan. “The act of wasting food isn’t considered a moral or ethical dilemma,” Valley said. “It is just the | a waste Issues Food waste has become a big issue in Vancouver with the city launching a new initiative to prevent waste. Some people say that more needs to be done. i/cHAEL Su PHOTO cost of business. That’s why when we're in an industrial capitalist food system we will always have this : »” issue. In 2019, the Canadian food indus- try lost an estimated $39 billion in revenue due to 8.79 million tonnes of avoidable, unplanned food waste, according to the City of Vancouver. In Vancouver alone, businesses discarded 25,000 tonnes of edible food that year, an amount equal to 37,000 meals lost. According to Valley, universal basic income guarantees could be the solution to the food waste problem. “Imagine a universal basic income where all people, all citizen and resi- dents and those who don’t have that status in Canada, have access to money to adequately buy food with dignity from grocery stores,” Valley said. Rethink2gether is a Vancou- ver-based, food waste consult- ing company developed to help commercial kitchens reduce food costs and improve their business. “An average restaurant in B.C. spends around 50 grand a year on food that’s never been eaten,” said Ben Liegey, co-founder of Rethink- 2gether. “An estimation of how much you can save is around 30 per cent within the first year, and that is significant.” Environmental services such as Rethink2gether have already started setting an example as to why food sustainability consultancy is essen- tial. “The first action you can take on the food business is to track food waste and to really understand what is happening in your operation,” Liegey said. Karen Lee, director of market- ing and communications of UBC faculty of land and food systems, says the city initiative can bring better supplies management into the food industry. “At a global level, we throw away about one third of all food produced for human consumption, with fresh fruit and vegetables seeing the biggest losses,” Lee stated in an email sent to the Voice. “It’s an exciting step in starting to address actions that can combat food waste and help increase food security within communities.” Valley believes that the Circular Food Innovation Lab is done in good faith and the City of Vancouver is recognizing this issue, but munici- pal governments do not have enough power in the current system to make drastic changes. “This is an indispensable but insufficient approach to food waste and hunger in our society,” Valley said. The City of Vancouver did not respond to an interview by deadline.