Ryerson University has ditched its long-time food provider for a company promising to put more “local and sustainable” food in campus cafeterias. In a move that surprised student officials, the downtown university has decided not to renew its contract with Aramark Canada Ltd., a multinational corporation that’s stocked most of the campus eateries for the last two decades.

An Aramark food services truck on Yonge St. near Ryerson University. The institution has switched to another provider after complaints about Aramark's food and controversy over financial losses. However the student union says Ryerson is replacing one conglomerate with another, and that the student body is skeptical that will result in better food. ( TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO )

Ryerson came under fire earlier this year when the Star revealed the university was paying millions to Aramark for running its on-campus food operations at a loss. The switch to Chartwells, also a corporate food giant, was announced Wednesday in a bulletin to staff and students. Entitled “a new era of food at Ryerson,” Julia Hanigsberg, Ryerson’s vice-president of finance and administration, writes the agreement “is part of our ongoing commitment to improve food at Ryerson” with an aim to “provide eating options that enhance the well-being and enjoyment of students, faculty and staff.”

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The bulletin stresses change is afoot and promises that in September students can expect “high-quality, affordable” food, healthier, more diverse culinary options and a commitment that 25 per cent of campus fare will be “sustainable and local.” But student officials aren’t impressed by the move from one large corporation to another and say they’re not convinced it spells the end of crappy, expensive, low-quality campus food. PREVIOUSLY: Ryerson spending millions to cover food conglomerate’s losses.

Students say money should go to better use. Attempts in the last year to affect culinary change at Ryerson sparked a food fight between students and the administration. Rajean Hoilett, a Ryerson Students’ Union vice-president, says the RSU wasn’t consulted about the new contract and he does not believe that private companies can deliver the accountability and transparency necessary to improve the food.

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“We don’t see this as a step in the right direction,” he says. “We just see it as a step in a different direction.” To set the wheels of change in motion, Ryerson says it hired Joshna Maharaj, a chef and vocal food activist responsible for transforming menus at several Toronto hospital cafeterias. Maharaj says gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal and seasonal food is on its way to campus this fall. As well, she says, students can expect innovative food programming, such as community feasts and markets. There may even be a Ryerson food app. “Food is going to be alive on campus in a way I don’t think it has been before,” she says. “I would not have stepped into a scenario if didn’t see a major commitment to significant change with a very sharp focus around sustainability.” Maharaj, who begins work Tuesday, believes the new contract gives Ryerson more power over its menus, food sourcing, and personnel. She says the company, which operates in more than 1,000 Canadian schools, colleges and universities, has committed to increasing the percentage of local and sustainable food it offers to students, with each year of its contract. Ryerson spokesperson Michael Forbes said the school signed a letter of intent with Chartwells on July 25. “Right now, we’re negotiating all of the terms of the contract,” he said. “We’ve agreed they will be our provider and now we’re just working out all of the details.” As of right now there are no contract details about length, cost or staffing levels required that can be made public because negotiations are still ongoing, said Forbes. He expects there will be a signed agreement within the next two weeks. Forbes said Chartwells will have a management team of six people on campus. Meanwhile there are about 70 OPSEU workers in the cafeteria, who will remain on Ryerson’s payroll and are not affected by the change. At this time, Chartwells, which will act as the overall supplier and manager, cannot disclose details of the contract. Maharaj will collaborate with Chartwells about the overall food services. While she isn’t apprised of specific details, Maharaj says the contractual kinks that required Ryerson to pay Aramark’s shortfalls have been ironed out of the current agreement. Ryerson paid $5.6 million to Aramark as per its most recent five-year contract. “That issue and that section has been addressed with a lot of conscientiousness and with as much transparency,” she says.