Nick Saul
Nick Saul | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 16th Chancellor of Victoria University, Toronto | |
| In office May 14, 2020 – June 30, 2026 | |
| President | William R. Robins Rhonda McEwen |
| Preceded by | Carole Taylor |
| Succeeded by | Steve Paikin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 9, 1966 |
| Spouse | Andrea Curtis |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | |
Nick Saul CM (born August 9, 1966) is a Canadian food and social justice activist, author, and the president and CEO of Right To Food.[1] He served as the 16th chancellor of Victoria University in the University of Toronto from 2020 to 2026.[2]
Early life
[edit]Saul was born in Tanzania where his parents taught and studied at the University of East Africa in Dar es Salaam, and were active in the liberation struggles of the Southern African states.[3] The family moved back to Canada in 1972.[4] Saul completed his undergraduate studies in history at Victoria College in the University of Toronto and his master's studies in sociology at Warwick University in the UK, where he was a Commonwealth Scholar.[5]
Career
[edit]After graduating in 1993, Saul became a community organizer, working with public housing tenants in Alexandra Park (the first conversion of a public housing community into a co-operative in Canada) and homeless men on the east side of Toronto.[4]
In 1998, Saul became the Executive Director of The Stop Community Food Centre. He and his staff transformed the under-resourced food bank into an internationally-recognized organization, with programs promoting food skills, access, education, and engagement.
In September 2012, Saul left The Stop with a group of colleagues to launch Community Food Centres Canada (CFCC).[6] In 2025, CFCC rebranded to Right To Food.[7]
Right To Food is a national organization that provides resources to partner organizations across Canada to establish Community Food Centres. Community Food Centres provide healthy food access (e.g., community meals, community gardening), food skills programs, and education and engagement programs (e.g., one-on-one support and referrals, participation in national policy campaigns).[8][9]
As of July 2026, there are eighteen Community Food Centres across Canada in Toronto, Perth,[10] Stratford,[11] Winnipeg,[12] Dartmouth,[13] Calgary,[14] Hamilton,[15] Eel Ground First Nation, Montreal, Kamloops, Nelson, Iqaluit, and Birch Lake.
Right To Food also strengthens the broader community food sector, and works with organizations within the broader food movement to advocate for a fair food system.[16]
Awards
[edit]- Jane Jacobs' Prize, 2008[17][18]
- The Golden Jubilee Medal, 2012[19]
- Honorary Doctor of Laws degree, Faculty of Community Services, Toronto Metropolitan University, 2016[20]
- Order of Canada, 2019[21]
- Arrell Global Food Innovation Award (awarded to CFCC)[22]
Works
[edit]The Stop
[edit]In 2013, Saul and his wife, Andrea Curtis, published The Stop: How the Fight for Good Food Transformed a Community and Inspired a Movement with Random House. The book was also published by Melville House in the U.S. The book details how Saul transformed The Stop from a food bank to a community hub, and how this transformation became the catalyst for a national Community Food Centre program. Saul and Curtis use this experience to argue the need for an overhaul of the food charity system to one rooted in food justice that empowers low-income communities. The book received multiple accolades including:
- Finalist, OLA Evergreen Award, 2014[23]
- Finalist, Toronto Book Awards, 2014[24]
- Finalist, Heritage Toronto Award, 2014[25]
- Winner, Taste Canada Awards: English-language Culinary Narratives Category, 2014[26]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Our team at Right To Food". Right To Food. Right To Food. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ "Meet Nick Saul, Victoria's New Chancellor » Victoria College". vic.utoronto.ca. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
- ↑ "Nick Saul: The man who built the foodie bank | Toronto Star". thestar.com. 12 July 2009. Retrieved 2016-10-27.
- 1 2 Saul, Nick; Curtis, Andrea (2013). The Stop: How the Fight for Good Food Transformed a Community and Inspired a Movement. Toronto: Random House. pp. 12–13, 17–18. ISBN 9780307360793.
- ↑ "Food for Thought | By Jason McBride | Nick Saul and The Stop, Toronto Community Food Centre | Autumn 2016 | University of Toronto Magazine". magazine.utoronto.ca. 11 June 2009. Retrieved 2016-10-27.
- ↑ "Hungry For Change: How Food Centres in Canada are Leading the Way". Best Health Magazine Canada. 2016-08-17. Retrieved 2016-10-27.
- ↑ "From Community Food Centres Canada To Right To Food". Right To Food. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ "Community Food Centres across the country". Right To Food. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
- ↑ "The Food 53: Those who are considering the way forward for food". The Globe and Mail. 2016-08-09. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
- ↑ "The Table Community Food Centre | Growing health, hope and community". www.thetablecfc.org. Retrieved 2016-10-27.
- ↑ "The Local Community Food Centre". thelocalcfc.org. Retrieved 2016-10-27.
- ↑ "Community Food Centre | Norwest Co-op". www.norwestcoop.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-27.
- ↑ "Community Food Centre". Dartmouth Family Centre. Retrieved 2016-10-27.
- ↑ "The Alex Community Food Centre". thealexcfc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-27.
- ↑ "Neighbour to Neighbour's Community Food Centre". Neighbour to Neighbour. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
- ↑ "Nick Saul on Food, Fairness & the Right to Food 🍎 | VFR Expands its Program in Surrey 😄". us2.campaign-archive.com. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
- ↑ "Nick Saul - Spacing". Spacing. Retrieved 2016-10-27.
- ↑ "Jane Jacobs Prize Winners - Spacing". Spacing. Retrieved 2016-10-27.
- ↑ General, The Office of the Secretary to the Governor. "The Governor General of Canada". Retrieved 2016-10-27.
- ↑ "Nick Saul Awarded Honorary Doctorate from Ryerson University | Metcalf Foundation". metcalffoundation.com. Retrieved 2016-10-27.
- ↑ "Governor General Announces 83 New Appointments to the Order of Canada". Governor General. Archived from the original on 2019-06-28. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
- ↑ "2020 Arrell Global Food Innovation Awards highlight innovative approaches to food problems". Markets Insider. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
- ↑ "2014 OLA Forest of Reading Awards - Evergreen Award : Award Winners : Books, Video, Research & More : Toronto Public Library". Toronto Public Library. Retrieved 2016-10-27.
- ↑ "Past winners - Toronto Book Awards - Awards | City of Toronto". Retrieved 2016-10-27.
- ↑ "2014 Heritage Toronto Awards |". heritagetoronto.org. Retrieved 2016-10-27.
- ↑ "Taste Canada — The Food Writing Awards -- Past Winners | Taste Canada". tastecanada.org. Retrieved 2016-10-27.
External links
[edit]- Community Food Centres Canada
- Nick Saul at TEDxToronto
- Article archive at The Huffington Post
Video
[edit]- Nick Saul and Andrea Curtis, The Stop — interview with the City of Toronto
- Nick Saul: Food with dignity — interview with Steve Paikan, The Agenda, TVO
- Nick Saul: Health happens when you fight for it — Walrus Talks