Food and Beverage Processor Forum

From Scurvy to Food Security: In Conversation with Doug Alexander and the Food Professor

Welcome back to another episode of the food and beverage processor forum.
In this segment, we're joined by two prominent voices in the food and beverage processing space: Doug Alexander, Vice President of Sustainability and Government Relations at Belmont Food Group, and Canadian Researcher and the renown "Food Professor", Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, Director of Agri-Food Analytics at Dalhousie University. Together with your hosts, Doug and Sylvain dive into the ongoing food-related issues affecting Ontarians today, including the rising demand for affordable food, increased reliance on food banks, and evolving consumer trust.
Tune-in for an episode uncovering critical intersections between food affordability, regulatory compliance, and the pressures of balancing sustainable practices with economic realities, offering an insightful glimpse into Canada’s evolving food system.
 
About Food and Beverage Ontario
Food and Beverage Ontario is a not-for-profit leadership organization dedicated to advancing the interests of Ontario's food and beverage processors. The organization's focus is on the success, prosperity and growth of the food and beverage processing sector - a $40 billion industry and a major contributor to the province's economy.
To learn more about Food and Beverage Ontario, visit https://foodandbeverageontario.ca/

Cybersecurity in the Food and Beverage Processing Industry (Part 2)

In this special episode of The Food and Beverage Processor Forum, we continue with part 2 of our discussion on cybersecurity in the food and beverage processing industry. As the digital landscape rapidly evolves, so do the threats to businesses—especially those at the core of our nation’s critical infrastructure. With the rise of automation and advanced technologies in food processing, understanding and preparing for cyber risks has never been more important.
Today, we are joined by three leading experts who help us navigate this complex and ever-changing terrain:
Terry T, from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service’s (CSIS) Toronto Region Cyber Investigations Unit, brings nearly 20 years of experience as an Intelligence Officer. Terry leads CSIS’s Strategic Partnerships and Engagement efforts throughout Southern Ontario and the GTA, working with critical infrastructure providers to strengthen cyber resiliency.
Dave Nixon, President and co-founder of ONYX Engineering, has over 33 years of experience in plant and process automation, controls, and modernization. As a leading voice in Operational Technology Cybersecurity, Dave provides expert insights into protecting plant controls and network communication systems.
Danny Pehar, a cybersecurity expert with more than 20 years of industry experience and a member of the Forbes Technology Council, is the architect of the Cybercrime Equation. Danny works closely with both the Toronto Police and FBI cyber task forces to help businesses fortify their defenses against cyberattacks.
In this discussion, we explore why Canadian critical infrastructure, including Ontario’s food and beverage manufacturing sector, is a prime target for cyber threats. We’ll discuss the evolving nature of these threats, real-world examples of significant cybersecurity incidents, and provide practical advice on preparedness, training, and incident response.

Cybersecurity in the Food and Beverage Processing Industry (Part 1)

In this special episode of The Food and Beverage Processor Forum, we tackle the critical and timely topic of cybersecurity in the food and beverage processing industry. As the digital landscape rapidly evolves, so do the threats to businesses—especially those at the core of our nation’s critical infrastructure. With the rise of automation and advanced technologies in food processing, understanding and preparing for cyber risks has never been more important.
Today, we are joined by three leading experts who help us navigate this complex and ever-changing terrain:
Terry T, from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service’s (CSIS) Toronto Region Cyber Investigations Unit, brings nearly 20 years of experience as an Intelligence Officer. Terry leads CSIS’s Strategic Partnerships and Engagement efforts throughout Southern Ontario and the GTA, working with critical infrastructure providers to strengthen cyber resiliency.
Dave Nixon, President and co-founder of ONYX Engineering, has over 33 years of experience in plant and process automation, controls, and modernization. As a leading voice in Operational Technology Cybersecurity, Dave provides expert insights into protecting plant controls and network communication systems.
Danny Pehar, a cybersecurity expert with more than 20 years of industry experience and a member of the Forbes Technology Council, is the architect of the Cybercrime Equation. Danny works closely with both the Toronto Police and FBI cyber task forces to help businesses fortify their defenses against cyberattacks.
In this episode, we explore why Canadian critical infrastructure, including Ontario’s food and beverage manufacturing sector, is a prime target for cyber threats. We’ll discuss the evolving nature of these threats, real-world examples of significant cybersecurity incidents, and provide practical advice on preparedness, training, and incident response.
This is Part 1 of our cybersecurity series. Stay tuned for Part 2 next week as we dive even deeper into how businesses can bolster their defenses and mitigate cyber risks.

Advocacy 101: Empowering Ontario's Food and Beverage Processing Industry

Welcome to another episode of The Food and Beverage Processor Forum, the podcast where we explore the foremost issues that matter to food and beverage processing businesses in Ontario. We have a great episode for you today as we delve into everybody's favourite topic, political advocacy.
For businesses in the industry, understanding how to effectively engage in political advocacy can be the key to driving positive change not just for you, but also for the industry at large. And effective advocacy can be employed in a number of ways, to influence policy decisions, remove red tape and barriers, build relationships with policy makers, protect business interests, drive change and innovation within the industry, address existential challenges such as labour shortages, and so much more.
Today, we are joined by two familiar figures within the field of political advocacy, who will shed light on how to take your first steps into advocating for your interests.
Our first guest is not quite a guest at all, but rather my colleague and co-host, Christopher Conway, the CEO of Food and Beverage Ontario. Christopher brings extensive experience and a deep understanding of the food and beverage sector in Ontario. He has a proven track record of fostering collaboration among industry stakeholders and driving growth and innovation. Chris has over 20 years experience in advocacy, government relations, and communications. He's been a panelist and speaker at numerous conferences in Canada and internationally. This includes making deputations in front of all three levels of government: municipal, provincial and federal. He's worked in industry associations since 2004, and prior to taking the reins at FBO spent  three years as President of Concrete Ontario as well as CEO of Career Colleges Ontario.
He also worked on Parliament Hill for six years. During that time, he worked with legislative and regulatory issues for MPs and Ministers including in the office of the Deputy Prime Minister of Canada.
Our second guest is Kristina Farrell, the CEO of Food and Beverage Canada (FBC-ABC). Kristina has an impressive background in government relations and agri-food policy, recognized as one of The Hill Times Top 100 Lobbyists for 2023. In addition to her role, some of you may recognize her work in advocating for significant changes to the Temporary Foreign Workers Program that benefit the industry. Prior to her current role at FBC, Kristina spent 7 years at Temple Scott Associates, starting as a consultant in 2017 and later becoming the Director (Government and Public Relations). At Temple Scott, she developed and executed government relations and public affairs strategies for a number of organizations, including Food and Beverage Canada, Chicken Farmers of Canada, the Canadian Association for Neuroscience, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada, just to name a few. This in addition to severing as  Food and Beverage Canada's Director of Communications.
Prior to her time at Temple Scott, Kristina worked as a Junior Analyst for the United Nations (UN) division of Global Affairs Canada.
In today's episode, we'll discuss the importance of political advocacy, the steps businesses can take to get started, and the resources available to support these efforts. We'll explore the challenges and opportunities that come with engaging in the legislative process and how to effectively communicate your business needs to policymakers.
About Food and Beverage Ontario
Food and Beverage Ontario is a not-for-profit leadership organization dedicated to advancing the interests of Ontario's food and beverage processors. The organization's focus is on the success, prosperity and growth of the food and beverage processing sector - a $40 billion industry and a major contributor to the province's economy.
To learn more about Food and Beverage Ontario, visit https://foodandbeverageontario.ca/About Food and Beverage Canada
FBC-ABC is the national industry association representing Canada’s domestic food and beverage manufacturers. Representing more than 1,500 food and beverage manufacturing businesses across the country, its members include Canada’s six provincial and regional food and beverage manufacturing associations as well as leading Canadian food and beverage companies.To learn more about Food and Beverage Canada, visit https://fbc-abc.com/

From Vision to Impact: The Evolution of CareersNOW!

In this episode of the Food and Beverage Processor Forum, we explore the evolution of CareersNOW!, a workforce initiative by Food and Beverage Ontario that connects jobseekers with leading food and beverage processing employers across the province. Originating as the TasteYourFuture awareness campaign in 2013, CareersNOW! has evolved into a full-fledged employment platform, providing free job fairs, skills training, mentorship, and recruitment resources. Today, CareersNOW! has evolved to take on a scale and scope never before seen in Ontario's food and beverage processing industry. Partnering with over 50 organizations, CareersNOW! is supporting the industry's workforce by facilitating meaningful connections and employment opportunities.
Join us as we welcome Isabel Dopta, Program Director of CareersNOW!, and Nicole Gallace, founder of FoodGrads. We'll delve into the program's expansive journey from a conventional industry awareness campaign to a vital province-wide initiative, highlighting the strategic developments that have enabled CareersNOW! to deliver unprecedented support in addressing the sector's pressing demand for new hires.
About Food and Beverage Ontario
Food and Beverage Ontario is a not-for-profit leadership organization dedicated to advancing the interests of Ontario's food and beverage processors. The organization's focus is on the success, prosperity and growth of the food and beverage processing sector - a $40 billion industry and a major contributor to the province's economy.
To learn more about Food and Beverage Ontario, visit https://foodandbeverageontario.ca/

Recycling Reimagined: Unpacking Ontario’s Producer-Responsibility Framework

Welcome to The Food and Beverage Processor Forum, brought to you by Food and Beverage Ontario. Today, we delve into a pivotal transition in Ontario's waste management landscape. On July 1, 2023, Ontario communities embarked on a shift towards a new producer-responsibility framework, a transition set to encompass the entire province by December 31, 2025. We'll dissect the operational, management, and financial facets of this transition for producers, alongside the merits this new model presents for Ontarians and the business sector.
With us today to help breakdown this topic are:
- Michelle Axbey, Senior Compliance Officer, and Mary Cummins, Registrar, both from the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA).- Shane Buckingham, Principal at Apex Policy Inc. and former Strategic Communications and Producer Relations Lead at Circular Materials.
About RPRA
The Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA) is the official body designated by Ontario's government to enforce circular economy laws, aiming to transition towards a waste-free Ontario since its establishment in November 2016. The RPRA administers two critical acts, the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 (RRCEA), and the Waste Diversion Transition Act, 2016 (WDTA), guiding the termination and transition of legacy waste diversion programs. Additionally, it assists businesses in adhering to individual producer responsibility (IPR) requirements, expanding its digital reporting services in 2019 to cover a broader range of waste and resource recovery programs.
Website: https://rpra.ca/
About Circular Materials
Circular Materials is a national non-profit organization in Canada, aiding producers in fulfilling their extended producer responsibility regulations. They focus on advancing the circular economy by ensuring materials are collected, recycled, and reutilized in new products and packaging. The organization offers a range of services including recycling program design, implementation, and support across Canada, alongside managing the recycling supply chain operations, producer registration and reporting, and various other aspects to enhance recycling systems and adhere to regulatory requirements
Learn More: https://www.circularmaterials.ca/

From Paychecks to Profits: A Deep Dive into Financial Well-Being

In this episode of The Food and Beverage Processor Forum, we explore the crucial topic of financial well-being. Discover why money-related stress is a major concern for Canadians, how it affects work performance, and the significant impact on businesses' bottom line. Join us as we delve into strategies to alleviate this stress and promote financial health among employees.
In the second half of the show, we zoom out to assess financial well-being as it relates to individual businesses, small to large and thriving or at risk. We discuss strategies for growth, stability, and safeguarding against financial risks.
Kevin McCarthy, EnRiched Academy
Joining us on the pod today is Kevin McCarthy. Kevin is the former chief of staff to Jim Flaherty, a past director with Scotiabank, as well as a former senior advisor at Foresight Strategic Advisors. Today, Kevin is the head of corporations and institutions at EnRiched Academy. They provide financial education through online training courses and live events that focus on the fundamentals of effectively managing money, spending and investing. 
https://www.enrichedacademy.com/
Matt MacDonald, MNP
In the latter half, we'll pivot to discuss the broader financial well-being of businesses in the food and beverage processing sector. For this, we’ll bring in Matt MacDonald from MNP. As the National Leader of MNP's Food and Beverage Processing practice, Matt will shed light on strategies businesses can employ to promote financial stability and growth, as well as protect itself from financial risks both seen and unseen.
https://www.mnp.ca/
Matt.MacDonald@MNP.ca
About Food and Beverage Ontario
Food and Beverage Ontario is a not-for-profit leadership organization dedicated to advancing the interests of Ontario's food and beverage processors. The organization's focus is on the success, prosperity and growth of the food and beverage processing sector - a $40 billion industry and a major contributor to the province's economy.
To learn more about Food and Beverage Ontario, visit https://foodandbeverageontario.ca/

Growing the Next Generation of Food Industry Leaders

It's no secret that the industry is pressed to attract a sustainable flow of talent to its field. But that's only part of the picture. With intense competition among adjacent industries to attract talent and about a quarter of the workforce set to come to retirement age by 2025, the push is on to engage with promising job seekers. But attracting new talent is one thing—growing the future of industry leaders is another.
 
Chances are, if your career path has led you to a leadership position in your organization—as is the case with many of our listeners—then you know it's not a path you walk alone. There are many people who support you along the way, whether through mentorship, professional development opportunities, or just taking a chance on you. These relationships not only enrich your career journey but play a crucial role in shaping you into the leader you are today. Today's episode is about that journey.
 
Here to help us explore how employers can connect with a young and promising generation, foster an environment where they can flourish, and arm them with the tools and resources to begin shaping their businesses for the better, we are joined by three industry experts who are at the leading edge of employee attraction, retention, and career development.
 
Working passionately to develop food leaders in our region, we welcome FBO's very own Isabel Dopta, Director of Communications. Isabel is also the project lead for CareersNOW!, a platform that connects employers with qualified job seekers in the food and beverage processing sector.
 
We're also joined by Nicole Gallace, who you may know from CareersNOW! Job fairs and mentorship series. Nicole is the founder of FoodGrads, which focuses on closing the gap between students/recent graduates and employers in Food Service & Food Processing. She's an experienced recruiter who's dedicated to helping young professionals find their perfect fit in the food and beverage industry. Nicole's enthusiasm for empowering the next generation of leaders and her deep understanding of the recruitment landscape make her an invaluable resource for both employers and job seekers.
 
Finally, we welcome Karolina Rachtan. Karolina is on the front line of career development and youth engagement. She's a Career Advisor with the U of G since October 2016 and has worked for U of G since 2012. Karolina’s portfolio includes targeted services for students from the Ontario Agricultural College, as well as a focus on students with disabilities. Prior to 2016, she worked as an Employment Counsellor as well as Job Developer within the Employment Ontario sector.
 
Together, we'll have a look at the role mentorship and professional development programs play in cultivating future leaders and explore how employers can create a culture of innovation and continuous improvement in their organizations. Finally, we'll take stock of what's catching the eye of youth entering the workforce, be it the opportunity to work with leading-edge technology that's transforming the sector, an inclusive workplace culture, or a business's commitment to social and environmental responsibility. Let's dive in!
 
About Food and Beverage Ontario
Food and Beverage Ontario is a not-for-profit leadership organization dedicated to advancing the interests of Ontario's food and beverage processors. The organization's focus is on the success, prosperity and growth of the food and beverage processing sector - a $40 billion industry and a major contributor to the province's economy.
To learn more about Food and Beverage Ontario, visit https://foodandbeverageontario.ca/

What the Latest Economic Trends Mean for Food and Beverage Processors

Welcome to another episode of the Food and Beverage Processor Forum! Today we are joined by our guest, JP Gervais, Vice President and Chief Economist at Farm Credit Canada. JP has a wealth of knowledge and experience when it comes to economics and finance, and we are thrilled to have him with us today to discuss some of the most pressing issues affecting the industry.
 
In this episode, we will dive into the topic of rising interest rates and inflation, and how these factors are impacting both processors and consumers. With JP's expertise and insight, we will explore the latest economic trends, what this means for businesses in the food and beverage processing industry, and what we can expect in the future.
 
To learn more about Farm Credit Canada and its resources, visit https://www.fcc-fac.ca/en.html
 
About Food and Beverage Ontario
Food and Beverage Ontario is a not-for-profit leadership organization dedicated to advancing the interests of Ontario's food and beverage processors. The organization's focus is on the success, prosperity and growth of the food and beverage processing sector - a $40 billion industry and a major contributor to the province's economy.
To learn more about Food and Beverage Ontario, visit https://foodandbeverageontario.ca/

Bringing the Labour Market Into Focus

Welcome to the Food and Beverage Processor Forum. A podcast tailor-made for Ontario's food and beverage processors.
In this episode, we're taking stock of the past few years in regard to the industry, labour challenges, and what Food and Beverage Ontario has been working on in 2022 to support Ontario's processors.
To help us contextualize this tectonic shift in the industry, we're joined by Kevin Elder, Project Manager, Labour Market Information with Food Processing Skills Canada.
In discussion with Kevin, we shed some light on the industry's labour gaps—specifically where these gaps lie in relation to the sector's workforce: front line, trades, and management. We also take a look at industry participation rates by demographics. Is the industry making concerted efforts to recruit underrepresented groups, and what role do temporary foreign workers play in the industry?
Kevin studied International Development at the University of Calgary and has lived and worked all over the globe. Kevin joined Food Processing Skills Canada in 2017 and has been leading the organization’s Labour Market Information insights since that time. At FPSC, he coordinates and analyzes the latest qualitative and quantitative information for all industry stakeholders. Kevin also represents FPSC and the industry on a variety of national and regional committees to ensure decision makers have access to the best available information.
To learn more about Food Processing Skills Canada and their work, visit https://fpsc-ctac.com/
 
About Food and Beverage Ontario
Food and Beverage Ontario is a not-for-profit leadership organization dedicated to advancing the interests of Ontario's food and beverage processors. The organization's focus is on the success, prosperity and growth of the food and beverage processing sector - a $40 billion industry and a major contributor to the province's economy.
To learn more about Food and Beverage Ontario, visit https://foodandbeverageontario.ca/