Maple Leaf Centre for Action on Food Security awards three scholarships

June 9, 2020, Mississauga, Ont. – Maple Leaf Foods and the Maple Leaf Centre for Action on Food Security have announced the recipients of the 2020/21 Scholarships in Food Insecurity.

Master’s candidate Michelle Aktary, University of Calgary; doctoral candidate Lindsey Vold, University of Saskatchewan; and doctoral candidate Bochu Liu, University of Toronto, will each receive a $15,000 scholarship to support their research.

Liu will examine time, transportation, and geographic constraints on food access in urban environments, Vold will assess the impact of community food programs in northern communities, and Aktary will examine the effect of a B.C. farmer’s market coupons on food security among community members.

The scholarships recognize the extraordinary contribution of David Emerson, Purdy Crawford and Wallace McCain as past chairs of the Maple Leaf Foods board of directors.

For the next three years, three scholarships will be awarded annually to masters or doctoral students who are pursuing research that contributes to the body of knowledge on food insecurity in Canada. Candidates are selected based on their academic preparedness, contribution of research findings and quality of the submission, including feasibility and methodological rigour.

“These scholarships will support highly talented students and broaden understanding of food insecurity and the impact of interventions to advance sustainable food security,” said Michael H. McCain, president and CEO, Maple Leaf Foods and honourary chair of the Maple Leaf Centre for Action on Food Security.

“They were awarded after a rigourous review by the Centre’s independent directors and will honour the leadership and enduring impact of Maple Leaf’s past chairs. We are delighted by the calibre of the submissions and looking forward to learning and sharing the insights that will come from these research projects.”

The Centre’s goal is to work collaboratively across sectors to reduce food insecurity in Canada by 50 per cent by 2030. This includes supporting research that contributes to understanding of barriers and interventions to achieve sustainable food security.