THUNDER BAY – LIVING – “By requiring restaurants and other food service chains to post calorie information publicly, we are helping people in Ontario make informed, healthy decisions for themselves and their families,” says Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. Ontario is making it easier for people to make informed and healthy choices about what to eat when dining out or purchasing ready-to-eat meals to take home.
Starting January 1, Ontario will be the first province in Canada to require food service providers with 20 or more locations in the province — such as restaurants, coffee shops, convenience stores, grocery stores and movie theatres — to include the number of calories for each food and beverage item on their menus, labels or tags.
Including information about calories on menus is part of Ontario’s plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.
QUICK FACTS
- Food service providers are also required to post an educational statement for customers about average daily caloric needs.
- Calories are a measure of how much energy is in the food we eat. Knowing how many calories are in our food can help us get the right amount of energy for our needs.
- Individual calorie needs vary depending on a number of factors, including activity level, age and gender.
- For more information, please refer to Health Canada’s Estimated Energy Requirements.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
- Learn more about calories on menus
- For businesses: posting calories on menus
- Healthy Kids Strategy
- Patients First: Action Plan for Health Care
“Inclusion of nutrition information on menu boards marks a bold step by the Ontario government. Dietitians are pleased to see the incorporation of recommendations they made during the consultation process. Education and evaluation are important next steps to ensure the long-term success of this initiative,” comments Leslie Whittington Carter, Dietitians of Canada.
“Customers are demanding more every day; they expect more information about their food and they want more healthy options. This is why 7-Eleven provides calorie menu labelling at our stores nationwide. And why we provide a growing variety of healthy ready-to-eat options for customers. We believe good business and social responsibility combine to help foster healthier communities,” adds Nick Angelo, Senior Director Merchandising, 7-Eleven Canada.
