The University’s implementation of unpopular pay-by-weight systems in residence dining halls has significantly raised the average prices of meals on campus, negatively affecting students’ physical and mental health issues. Students should not have to ration their already limited meal plan dollars. As UTSU President, I will work to immediately abolish exploitative pay-by-weight and declining balance meal plan models that have harmed the student body for years. To promote sustainable practices, I also aim to reduce food waste in dining halls by making sure that uneaten food is given out for free at the end of the day/week.

From Metro on Bloor to T&T on College and Loblaws on Carlton: rising prices in Canadian grocery stores have strained UofT students’ budgets. UofT students should be able to access affordable groceries on campus when they need it. My goal is to establish a UTSU Grocery Co-op, open several times a week, that will provide UTSU-subsidised groceries to students on campus at below market rates. The co-op will help create relationships with local and sustainable suppliers, provide volunteer opportunities for UofT students, and serve as a hub for positive community interaction.

With heavy coursework loads and stringent schedules, UofT students already have enough on their plate—students should not have to worry about meeting their basic food needs on top of that. For those most in need, I plan to launch a program through the UTSU that offers soup and bread for students on campus free of charge, four days a week, in addition to minimizing food waste– taking perfect, untouched food, packaging it, and distributing them to students at zero cost.