Look-Smell-Taste' Initiative, B.C. Salmon Farming Shutdown, The Capital Gains Taxman Commeth for Farmers and guests David Long, CEO, and Cynthia Boulter, COO, from the Greater Vancouver Food Bank

This week, we are excited to have special guests David Long, CEO, and Cynthia Boulter, COO, from the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. David and Cynthia share their insights on their critical work to combat food insecurity in Vancouver. They discuss their organization's unique challenges and opportunities arising from operating in such a dynamic urban environment.

A few links of interest:

1. GVFB Website: https://foodbank.bc.ca/
2. ReThinking Food Documentary: https://vimeo.com/760366175
3. Country life in BC – Craig Edwards: https://foodbank.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Country-Life-in-BC-Viewpoint-2024-04.pdf
4. GVFB Information for the BC Farmer Tax Credit - https://foodbank.bc.ca/ways-to-give/industry-food-donations/bc-farmer-tax-credit/
5. David Long in Macleans: https://macleans.ca/longforms/food-banks-affordability-inflation-groceries/

In the news, Too Good To Go's new initiative, Look-Smell-Taste, aims to reduce food waste by encouraging consumers to trust their senses. Next, the discussion shifts to the Capital Gains Tax update and its potential impact on Ag and Innovation in Canada; StatCan's latest CPI basket update is also on the agenda. Food now comprises 16.72% of the basket, up from 16.13% last year. This includes a notable rise in the weighting of food from stores and restaurants.

In a surprising turn, former Deputy Prime Minister John Manley advocates ending supply management in the dairy sector, the recent ruling to phase out open-net salmon farming in B.C. over five years, examining its effects on the industry and consumers. Lastly, the hosts discuss the Wall Street Journal's report on U.S. retailers resizing women's apparel lines in response to the growing influence of GLP-1 weight loss drugs and McDonald's pause on its A.I. drive-through pilot due to high-profile mistakes.

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University.

Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world’s most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. 

He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. 

Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries.

With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues.

 Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast.  He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.