Vancouver Humane Society
Are you a teacher? Learn more about making plant-based eating part of your classroom routine!
Read more about student-led efforts to make plant-based foods more available in their school cafeteria.
The public questionnaire is now closed as of December 16th, 2022. To provide additional input on other elements of a national school food policy, please use the quick email tool above.
I am writing regarding your local election campaign. As a resident, I would like to express my support for bylaws and practices that consider the welfare of animals and the many people in our community who care for them.
I encourage you to support policies that protect the well-being of animals, including:
- Supporting pet-friendly affordable housing
- Reducing animal-based food purchasing
- Supporting an end to the use of animals in entertainment
- Ending the keeping of wild and exotic animals who suffer in captivity
I would be interested to hear about your platform commitments related to animal protection. Please reach out if you can provide any details about how you will support kindness toward all species if elected.
Thank you.Tip: To find your local candidates, visit your municipality’s website or search for “[Your municipality’s name] local election 2022”. You can find the list of candidates in Vancouver here.
VANCOUVER, Nov 3, 2021 – Vancouver City Council is considering a motion today that could help decrease spending, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve animal welfare. The motion would support recommendations from a recently released report by the Vancouver Humane Society (VHS), which highlights the impact the City of Vancouver can make by replacing 20 percent of their animal-based food purchasing with plant-based alternatives.
The report looks at the current food purchasing strategies for the City of Vancouver and outlines the annual cost and greenhouse gas emissions associated with foods typically purchased. By making a shift in their purchasing, the City of Vancouver could expect to save up to $99,000; 500 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions; and the equivalent of nearly 400 farmed animal lives on an annual basis. The report outlines the impacts of three strategies that effectively replace 20 percent of animal-based foods purchased with plant-based alternatives.
“The evidence is clear that we need to shift our diets and our food system toward more humane and sustainable plant-based foods,” said VHS Campaign Director, Emily Pickett. “In Vancouver, the consumption of food makes up nearly half of the City’s ecological footprint, particularly from intensive agriculture producing meat and dairy products made from animals. There’s a lot of opportunity for positive change and we’re pleased to see this important discussion happening at the City of Vancouver level.”
The motion acknowledges that livestock farming is a significant contributor of greenhouse gas emissions; the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has advised that a plant-based diet can help in the fight against climate change. It goes on to highlight how a shift toward more sustainable and healthy plant-based foods aligns with existing City of Vancouver priorities, including the City’s Climate Emergency Action Plan and the Healthy City Strategy. The motion recommends that Council direct staff to consider the policy options outlined in VHS’s “Increasing Plant-Based Purchasing at the Municipal Level” report.
The full report can be accessed on the VHS website and the “Plant-Based Purchasing Savings for City and Climate” motion can be accessed on the City of Vancouver website.
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For further information: Emily Pickett: 604-416-2902, emily@vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca
Related links:
https://vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca/posts/municipal-plant-based-purchasing/
Do you want to make sure no animals were harmed when you’re shopping or eating? Struggling to find the perfect gift for someone? Looking to support and order from a local restaurant? This list of plant-based businesses in Vancouver & the Lower Mainland has you covered.
Click on a section in the table of contents to be directed to a list of relevant plant-based businesses in Vancouver and the surrounding area (with a few clothing retailers from elsewhere in Canada.)
| Business name | In store? | Online shopping? | Description |
| Bonus Bakery | 1185 W Georgia St, Vancouver, BC | Y | Drinks & pastries |
| Dough & Co | N | Y | Bakery delivery |
| Edible Flours | 2280 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC | Y | Cupcakes, cookies, breads, loaves and other bakery goods |
| Fairy Cakes | 3586 Fraser St, Vancouver, BC | N | Baked goods & popsicles; peanut/nut-free |
| Flourgirl Baking | N | Y | Cinnamon and other sweet buns |
| GLOW Chocolate | Multiple locations | Y | Chocolates and truffles |
| Hooray Truffles | N | Y | Chocolates and truffles |
| Level V Bakery | 39 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC | Y | Cakes & pastries |
| Living Lotus | N | Y | Chocolate products |
| Livvy’s Bakery Cookies | Multiple Locations | Y – through SPUD | Cookies |
| Naked Dough | N | Y | Cookie dough |
| Panela Lemon | 1507 Powell St #150, Vancouver, BC | Y | Cookies |
| Pikanik | N | Y | Gluten-free, allergy-free artisan breads, cakes, desserts, etc |
| Saviour Foods | N | Y | Cookie dough |
| Say Hello Sweets | 620 Quebec St, Vancouver, BC | Y | Ice cream |
| Sweets From the Earth | N | Y | Cakes, cookies, muffins, bars & squares |
| To Live For | Multiple locations | Y | Baked goods |
| Two Daughters Bakeshop | 980 W 1st St #105, North Vancouver, BC | Y | Vegan & gluten-free pastries, breads & other treats |
| Umaluma Dairy-Free Gelato | 235 E Pender St, Vancouver, BC | Y | Ice cream – some flavours contain honey |
| Vegan Pudding & Co | 101 – 422 Richards St, Vancouver, BC | Y | Window counter selling cakes, pudding and tea |
| Vogue Cakes | N | Y | Cakes & other desserts |
| Yellow Basket Baking | N | Y | Organic, nut-free bakery operating at pop-ups & farmer markets |
| Zimt Chocolate Cafe | 1336 Clark Dr, Vancouver, BC | Y | Organic treats, hot drinks and chocolates |
| Business name | In store? | Online shopping? | Description |
| Bed | 2932 Main Street, Vancouver, BC | Y | 100% cotton bedding |
| Bellantoni | Multiple retailers | Y | Sustainable vegan clothing |
| ComfyComfy | N | Y | Buckwheat hull pillows |
| Daub and Design | N | Y | Sustainable vegan clothing |
| Dream Designs | 2749 Main Street, Vancouver, BC | Y | Natural bedding, some contain wool |
| Fairechild | N | Y | Recycled vegan rain protection for adults and kids |
| Frank and Oak | 316 West Cordova St, Vancouver, BC | Y | Sustainable outerwear, some products contain wool |
| Friend & Faux | N | Y | Vegan clothing |
| Grinning Goat | N | Y | Animal-free clothing, shoes, accessories and beauty products |
| Haven Sleep Co | N | Y | A variety of vegan mattresses and bedding |
| inBed Organics | 1683 Chestnut St, Vancouver, BC | Y | A variety of vegan mattresses and bedding |
| Inner Fire Activewear | N | Y | Sustainable vegan yoga pants and clothing |
| Kuseno Comfort Products | Multiple retailers | Y | Buckwheat hull pillow and hot/cold packs |
| Mala the Brand | N | Y | Candles made using soy, cotton, wood and glass |
| Native Shoes | Multiple retailers | Y | All vegan footwear |
| Nice Shoes | 3568 Fraser Street, Vancouver, BC | Y | All vegan footwear |
| Noize | Multiple retailers | Y | All vegan clothing and outwear |
| Peace People Project | N | Y | Upcycled vegan clothes |
| Plantactive | N | Y | Clothing with vegan messages |
| Save the Duck | Multiple retailers | Y | Vegan clothing and outerwear |
| Vegan Yarn | N | Y | Yarn made of cotton, bamboo, linen, and Tencel (Eucalyptus trees) |
| Vessi Footwear | N | Y | All vegan footwear |
| Wuxly Movement | Toronto, ON | Y | Canadian-made vegan outwear |
| Business name | In store? | Online shopping? | Description |
| Aspen Clean | Multiple retailers | Y | Eco-friendly cleaning service with specially developed plant-based products |
| Blue Dot | N | Y | Single ingredient of ionized water that can disinfect fruits and vegetables |
| Botanical Therapeutic | N | Y | Hair and skin care products |
| Ceremonie | N | Y | Natural skincare products |
| Clarity Apothecary | N | Y | Natural oils |
| Eventide Botanic Alchemy | N | Y | Face masks |
| Honest Cleaning & Services | N | Y | Cleaning service with vegan products |
| Ilia | Y | Y | Skincare powered makeup |
| Lippy Girl Makeup | Multiple retailers | Y | Make-up |
| Lisse | N | Y | Shaving products and soaps |
| Live for Tomorrow | Multiple retailers | Y | Cleaning products |
| Nala Care | Multiple retailers | Y | Deoderant |
| Nellie’s All-Natural | Multiple retailers | Y | Zero-waste cleaning products, laundry detergent |
| Okoko Cosmetiques | Y | Y | Botanical oils and extracts |
| Peregrine Supply Co | Multiple retailers | Y | Beard and grooming products |
| Pink House Organics | Multiple retailers | Y | Bath, body, skin, and makeup |
| Riversol | Y | Y | Specialty skincare |
| Sapadilla | Y | Y | Cleaning products |
| Sappho: New Paradigm | Y | Y | Organic, vegan makeup |
| Scentuals | Y | Y | Hand sanitizer, bath and shower, body, face and aromatherapy |
| Skwalwen Botanicals | Y | Y | Wild harvested plants for face and body products |
| Tru Earth | Y | Y | Zero waste laundry detergent |
| United and Free | N | Y | Gender-neutral hair, skin, and bath care products |
| Vintage Touch Cleaning | N | Y | House cleaning services |
| Vitale Body & Soul Care | Y | Y | Skincare products |
| Wild Jasmine Natural Apothecary | Multiple retailers | Y | Handcrafted bath and body care products with an eco-conscious focus |
| Willow’s Wax Bar | 2139 East Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC | N | Cruelty-free wax and other beauty products |
| Woodlot | Multiple retailers | Y | Vegan and eco-friendly skin care |
| Business name | In store? | Online shopping? | Description |
| v-planet | N | Y | Plant-based dog food |
| Vecado | Multiple retailers | Y | Plant-based pet food and treats |
| Virchew Dog Food | N | Y | Plant-based dog food |
Do you know of more plant-based businesses in Vancouver or the Lower Mainland? If you have any additions or modifications to this listing, please email info@vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca.
Looking for more plant-based eating tips? Take the plant-based pledge to receive weekly vegan recipes in your inbox!
Media release
July 23, 2020
Vancouver – A striking new billboard in downtown Vancouver is encouraging Vancouverites to treat farmed animals with the same compassion as other animals by transitioning to a plant-based diet. The billboard is part of The Vancouver Humane Society’s (VHS) new Go Veg campaign.
The billboard, which shows the faces of a cow and a dog with near-identical markings, states: “Animals are the same in all the ways that matter” and urges people to “Be kind to every kind.”
“Farmed animals are thinking, feeling beings, with complex emotional lives – just like the pets we open our homes and hearts to,” said VHS campaign director Emily Pickett. “They suffer greatly under today’s industrial animal agriculture system. Our Go Veg billboard calls on society to recognize that animals, regardless of the label they are given – farmed or companion – are the same in all the ways that matter.”
Pickett said that, in 2019, more than 830 million land animals were raised and slaughtered for food in Canada. “Our overconsumption of animal products has led to the rise of the industrial animal agriculture system, characterized by large numbers of animals confined in cramped, barren and unnatural environments and subject to painful procedures, lengthy transport journeys and frightening slaughter conditions.”
The billboard ad will run in select locations in Vancouver throughout the summer. In addition, VHS is running ads in 24 Vancouver condo buildings, also promoting a plant-based diet.
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While COVID-19 has put a temporary hold on our work with schools to put more plant-based options on cafeteria menus, we’re continuing to speak out and work behind the scenes to support food system change that will benefit animals, the planet and public health.
We’re excited to share a sneak peek of our brand new Go Veg ads, which build on our popular “Food vs. Friend” bus ad campaign that we’ve run the last few years. The ads will touch on the benefits of a plant-based diet and will be running online and in public spaces (see billboard above) throughout Metro Vancouver in the coming months.
VHS also participated in the City of Vancouver’s Climate Emergency survey and advocated for climate actions that include transitioning public menus toward fewer animal products and more plant-based options. The consumption of food makes up nearly half of the City of Vancouver’s ecological footprint and animal products have a larger environmental impact than plant-based foods, making this an opportunity to change the food system to help protect both animals and the planet.
VHS executive director, Amy Morris and projects and communications Director, Peter Fricker also recorded a podcast in which they discuss local plant-based foods and food sustainability. You can hear their discussion here.
Today marks the 48th annual Earth Day celebration and around the world events and efforts will be taking place to draw attention to the need for stronger environmental protections.
As the global community reflects today on the increasingly sensitive state of the planet and what role we as individuals can play in tackling what can sometimes feel like an overwhelming issue, it’s important to remember that every time we sit down to eat, we have an opportunity to stand up for a better world.
Animal agriculture has been identified as a leading contributor not only to climate change, but to air and water pollution, water use, land degradation, deforestation and biodiversity decline.
In fact, animal agriculture is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than the entire global transportation sector. This is because animal-based foods are incredibly inefficient to produce and are very resource-intensive. The processes involved when it comes to raising, transporting and slaughtering animals for food are responsible for potent greenhouse gas emissions including carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. To put this in perspective, beef production requires 20 times more land and emits 20 times more greenhouse gas emissions per unit of edible protein than common plant-based protein sources such as beans, peas and lentils.[1]
The production of animal-based foods also requires and pollutes large amounts of water. Agriculture accounts for 92% of our global freshwater footprint; approximately one third relates to animal products.[2] The water footprint per gram of protein for milk, eggs and chicken is approximately 1.5 times larger than for pulses (beans, lentils, peas). For beef, it is six times larger than for pulses.[3] The sheer volume of animal waste, along with fertilizers and pesticides used for feed crops, as well as hormones and antibiotics used on livestock create major water pollution issues. These pollutants seep into waterways, threatening water quality, ecosystems and animal and human health.[4]
Meanwhile, animal agriculture is a key contributor to land degradation and deforestation, with one-quarter of the earth’s land surface (excluding Antarctica) being used as pastureland. [5] The conversion of natural habitat to accommodate livestock and feed crops puts immense pressure on wildlife that struggle to survive in increasingly fragmented and degraded environments. Ineffective and ill-informed cull programs put additional pressure on predator populations, due to the perceived threat they pose to livestock profits.
While our diet can be a major part of the problem when it comes to protecting the planet, that also means it is a crucial part of the solution. A 2016 Oxford Martin School study found that the adoption of global dietary guidelines would cut food-related emissions by 29%, vegetarian diets by 63%, and vegan diets by 70%.[6] By reducing and eliminating resource-intensive animal products from our diet and supporting efforts to make more sustainable plant-based foods widely accessible, we can drastically decrease our individual and societal environmental footprints.
This Earth Day, join the growing number of people around the world who are recognizing the power behind what we put on our plate. Take our Meatless Monday pledge for recipe ideas and download our Live Well booklet to learn more about a plant-based diet. You can also support VHS’s efforts to introduce more healthy, humane and sustainable plant-based menu options in schools and other institutions.
[1] http://www.wri.org/blog/2016/04/sustainable-diets-what-you-need-know-12-charts
[2] http://waterfootprint.org/media/downloads/Gerbens-et-al-2013-waterfootprint-poultry-pork-beef_1.pdf
[3] http://waterfootprint.org/en/water-footprint/product-water-footprint/water-footprint-crop-and-animal-products/
[4] http://www.fao.org/3/a-i7754e.pdf
[5] http://www.wri.org/blog/2016/04/sustainable-diets-what-you-need-know-12-charts
[6] https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/news/201603_Plant_based_diets