OTTAWA, June 2, 2025—May 30, 2025 marked the first anniversary of the À la Carte Food Recovery Program —an initiative that has redefined how tourism can serve community needs. In partnership with La Tablée des Chefs, Ottawa Tourism created a destination-led program that connects 19 hospitality partners with local community organizations to recover surplus food from major events and redirect it to those experiencing food insecurity. Together, this collaboration has created a model, a first of its kind in Canada, that is both scalable and sustainable.
In just one year, the À la Carte program has more than tripled its initial objective of collecting 50,000 meals for the community, with over 160,000 meals distributed to people facing food insecurity in the community. The program's impact was particularly notable during the IIHF World Junior Championship, where 18,500 meals were donated, fueling the kitchen at the Shepherds of Good Hope during the holiday season.
Ottawa Tourism is also excited to welcome the first Grand Tablée Gala this fall. The event will raise money to support Ottawa based community partners with the resources they need to facilitate food recovery and ensure the longevity of the program.
“Ottawa’s tourism industry is more than a strong economic driver—it can leave a legacy of social and environmental action and foster positive change,” said Michael Crockatt, President and CEO of Ottawa Tourism. “The À la Carte program shows what’s possible when we’re intentional about our impact. By turning surplus into sustenance, we’re not only reducing waste—we’re strengthening our community. This is a testament to our commitment to embedding sustainability into the fabric of our destination and to finding meaningful ways to use tourism as a catalyst for positive change.”
“Partnering with Ottawa Tourism this past year has accelerated the fight against food insecurity in the Ottawa region and has also been a catalyst for promoting sustainable tourism across the country,” said Jean-François Archambault, Founder and General Director of La Tablée des Chefs. “Ottawa Tourism’s leadership is helping create new national standards for food recovery with destination marketing organizations as some of them have already been inspired to adopt a similar model”
“At Shepherds of Good Hope, the support we’ve received from the hospitality community through the À la Carte Program not only saves the organization thousands of dollars, but it also feeds so many people in our community—helping them get a taste of home,” says Chef Peter Gareau, Manager of Food Services at Shepherds of Good Hope. “Food brings people together, and the meals we receive through the program are high quality and ready to serve. They ease the burden on our staff and volunteers, and most importantly, they allow us to extend the same hospitality we offer to visitors to those in our community who need it most—with dignity and care.”
About Ottawa Tourism
Through its values of inclusivity, trust, collaboration, and innovation, Ottawa Tourism pursues its vision to be one of Canada’s most visited, sustainable, vibrant, and appealing urban destinations, as well as the tourism authority for key economic development and city-building decisions in Ottawa. Canada’s capital welcomes an estimated 10 million visitors annually who spend $2.6 billion in the community contributing to economic prosperity and quality of life in Ottawa.
For more information, please contact:
Jérôme Miousse
Director, Public Affairs
Ottawa Tourism
corporate@ottawatourism.ca
