Canada’s table is officially set for Saturday, August 1, and this year’s message is beautifully simple: Choose Canadian Food First.

For me, Food Day Canada is not just another food holiday or a marketing campaign to share on social media. It is personal.

I knew Anita Stewart, the powerhouse culinary pioneer who founded Food Day Canada in 2003. When Anita began this movement, it was not about hashtags. It was a fierce and passionate effort to support Canadian farmers during the mad cow crisis and remind Canadians of the importance of the people producing our food.

Anita was an absolute force for Canadian cuisine. Every time we celebrate Food Day Canada, I feel her legacy in the room.

She understood that behind every ingredient is a real person: a farmer, fisher, harvester, winemaker, food maker or chef. Anita never let us forget that.

There is no single “Canadian dish,” and that is part of the beauty of our food culture. Here in British Columbia, our food is shaped by the Pacific Ocean, fertile valleys, forests, farmland and the many cultures and communities that call this province home.

To honour Anita’s vision, here are a few meaningful ways to put Canadian food first in Vancouver and across B.C. on August 1.

1. Dine Out with Purpose

Book a table at an independent restaurant that prioritizes Canadian ingredients and works closely with local farmers, fishers and food producers.

Look for menus featuring wild B.C. salmon, Canadian-raised meat, regional cheeses, seasonal vegetables and fruit grown here in the province.

Ask where the ingredients come from. The answer may introduce you to a farm, fisher, winery or artisan producer you have not encountered before.

The Food Day Canada website also features an interactive map highlighting restaurants, special menus and community celebrations across the country.

Where to Celebrate Food Day Canada in B.C.

Restaurants, markets, resorts and culinary destinations across British Columbia may mark Food Day Canada with special menus, Canadian ingredients and community events.

Food Day Canada maintains an online map featuring restaurants and culinary destinations associated with the celebration. However, some older listings remain in the directory, and inclusion does not necessarily confirm that a business is participating in 2026.

Before making plans for Saturday, August 1, check directly with the restaurant or event organizer to confirm that it is open and offering a Food Day Canada menu, event or promotion this year.

Watch the Food Day Canada restaurant and events map, as well as the social accounts of your favourite local restaurants, farmers’ markets and producers, for current announcements.

Five B.C. Restaurants That Put Local Ingredients First

You do not need to wait for a special Food Day Canada menu to celebrate the people and ingredients that feed British Columbia. These five restaurants reflect the province through seasonal cooking, regional seafood, local produce and strong relationships with Canadian growers, fishers and producers.

• Burdock & Co., Vancouver: Chef Andrea Carlson’s hyper-seasonal menus are rooted in the flavours of the Pacific Northwest and shaped by relationships with local growers, producers and foragers.
• Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar, Vancouver: A polished celebration of West Coast dining, with seafood at the centre of its menu and a strong focus on the ingredients and flavours of coastal British Columbia.
• Published on Main, Vancouver: Chef Gus Stieffenhofer-Brandson’s contemporary Canadian cooking combines his Manitoba roots with a distinctly Vancouver sensibility, highlighting seasonal and foraged ingredients.
• Wild Blue Restaurant + Bar, Whistler: Wild Blue brings together seafood, regional ingredients and refined mountain dining in the heart of Whistler Village.
• Waterfront Wines Restaurant, Kelowna: Chef Mark Filatow’s long-standing Kelowna restaurant is an ideal Okanagan choice, reflecting the region through locally sourced ingredients and thoughtful food-and-wine pairings.

These are editorial recommendations rather than confirmation of dedicated Food Day Canada events. Check directly with each restaurant for its August 1 hours, current menu and any special Food Day Canada features before making a reservation.

2. Visit a Farmers’ Market

Head to a local farmers’ market for your weekend shopping and take the time to speak with the vendors.

Ask what is in season, how it was grown and what they recommend cooking with it. Pick up local berries, fresh vegetables, artisan bread, regional meat, cheese, honey or preserves.

Buying directly from producers supports one of the shortest and most resilient supply chains available to us. It also helps keep more money within local communities.

The food often tastes better, too, especially when it was picked nearby rather than transported thousands of kilometres before reaching your plate.

3. Raise a Local Glass

We are incredibly spoiled in British Columbia.

The province is home to wineries, craft cideries, breweries, distilleries and a growing number of innovative non-alcoholic beverage producers.

On August 1, consider skipping the imports and choosing something made closer to home.

Open a bottle from an Okanagan, Similkameen, Fraser Valley, Gulf Islands or Vancouver Island producer. Pour a crisp B.C. craft cider, explore a locally brewed beer or try a non-alcoholic drink made with regional ingredients.

Then raise a glass to the farmers, growers and makers behind it.

4. Host a Canadian Ingredients Potluck

Turn dinner at home into a collaborative celebration.

Invite friends or family and challenge each person to bring a dish featuring at least one Canadian ingredient.

Grill local seafood, prepare a salad with farm-fresh greens, serve Canadian cheese and bake a dessert using regional berries, honey or maple syrup.

It does not need to be complicated. The goal is to pay attention to where the food came from and celebrate the people who made the meal possible.

Celebrating Canada’s Food Innovators

Anita also founded the Good Food Innovation Awards to recognize people shaping the future of Canadian food.

Presented in partnership with the Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph, the 2026 awards celebrate leadership across agriculture, culinary arts, Indigenous foodways, sustainability, hospitality, storytelling, food literacy and community development.

This year’s recipients include Stephanie Baryluk and Qwustenuxun (Jared) Williams, recognized as Northern and Indigenous Food Champions.

Warren Barr, along with Restaurant Pearl Morissette and RPM Bakeshop, was honoured in the Canadian Menu Trailblazers category.

The full list of recipients reflects the range of people working to protect food traditions, strengthen local economies and create a more connected and resilient Canadian food system.

An Entire Country to Taste

Food Day Canada is ultimately about more than one meal.

It is about recognizing the people behind our food, understanding where our ingredients come from and making choices that support Canadian communities.

Anita believed Canada was an entire country to taste.

On August 1, let’s do her proud.

Buy local. Eat well. Ask questions. Meet the people behind your food and thank those who help keep our province fed.

Share your Food Day Canada celebrations by tagging @FoodDayCanada and using #FoodDayCanada.