The weekend has finally arrived and if a busy work week has kept you from keeping up with the latest in Canadian food news, allow us to catch you up on some of the more notable stories from the past week.
From Niagara College making big moves in the Canadian cannabis and craft beer markets to a pair of unsettling stories from restaurants in Calgary and Toronto, to the devastating spread of avian influenza and the polarizing rise of restaurant robots, here are five food stories you might have missed this week.
Avian flu forces Quebec duck farm to kill nearly 150,000 birds
Avian influenza has unfortunately continued its tragic spread across Canada since our last update, with B.C., Saskatchewan, and Manitoba being added to the seemingly growing list of provinces affected.
Farmers from across the country have been reporting devastating losses since the spread began, with the most recent coming from a duck farming operation in Quebec who have said they have no choice but to slaughter roughly 150,000 ducks and lay off nearly 300 employees as a result.
Find the full story at CBC News.
Canada’s response to the rise of restaurant robots
We’ve been covering the steady rise of automation in foodservice for some time now, but new research from Big Red Rooster suggests that Canadians are still relatively torn on the subject.
The Big Red Rooster report found that roughly one third of Canadians are opposed to the idea of robots preparing their food, while 41 per cent were in favour of robots performing tasks such as cleaning, bussing tables, and delivering food.
Head to Restaurant Dive for the full breakdown.
Niagara College receives substantial grant for cannabis and craft beer programs
Niagara College was on the receiving end of a whopping $4.4 million grant this week that will reportedly go toward supporting cannabis and hemp research as well as establishing a new Canada-wide craft brewery quality control program.
Check out the Welland Tribune for more details.
Calgary’s Kin’s Chinese Food closed for more than 35 violations
Alberta may be one of the only places in Canada where restaurant-goers need not worry about rats, but unfortunately one Calgary restaurant was recently cited for violating more than 35 other violations.
Some of the restaurant’s violations include tampering with evidence during inspections, mouse droppings in multiple areas, and a “significant cockroach infestation” throughout the establishment.
Visit the Daily Hive for more.
Toronto restaurateur apologies for fat shaming guest
The owner of Toronto’s Sugo was in the news this week after responding to a guest of the restaurant who claimed she was fat shamed by her server while dining at the Bloordale establishment earlier this month.
The owner’s initial response stated that the staff was “just having fun with you and nothing was ever meant as insulting.” The owner has since apologized and recanted his statement, but recent reviews suggest that the local community won’t soon forget the transgression.
Find the full story at BlogTO.
