Today, McDonald’s Canada is marking its first 55 years by sharing its ambitions for its future. The organization is announcing initiatives—both big and small—to make real and tangible change keeping the planet, food quality and sourcing and its local communities in mind.
“We are proud to serve our guests great-tasting, quality food, and we’ve always felt that our role in Canada goes beyond serving burgers to feeding and fostering our local communities,” says Michèle Boudria, President and CEO, McDonald’s Canada. “We want Canadians to know we remain absolutely committed to living our purpose, every single day, so they can feel good about enjoying the McDonald’s they love for years to come. Today, we’re sharing our commitments to take positive action on the things that matter to all of us—and what we’re doing to get there.”
Translating ambition to action
“As our communities grow and change, so do their priorities. Our guests want to know they can trust us to act responsibly,” says Gemma Pryor, Senior Director, McDonald’s Canada Impact Team, the team helping coordinate these changes across the organization. “We’re making sure our choices, actions and values as a business show Canadians that what’s important to them is also important to us.”
The actions McDonald’s Canada is working on are an investment in the future. Here’s what the organization has planned:
Community Connection
Together with its independent franchisees, McDonald’s Canada remains committed to serving its guests, employees and the communities in which it operates from coast to coast to coast by:
Supporting families: Together with its independent franchisees and guests, McDonald’s Canada has a goal to donate over $70 million to Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) over the next five years (2022-2026). This will help to nearly double the number of bedrooms for families across Canada over the next 10 years (2022-2032).
- This is in addition to raising over $65 million over the last five years (2017-2021). This has helped RMHC support more than 100,000 families with sick children in the same time period.
Addressing food insecurity: Helping Canadians with meaningful partnerships and programs, McDonald’s ambition is to provide approximately 1 million meals every year to Canadians in need, helping to address food insecurity in our communities.
- For example, McDonald’s supported Food Banks Canada, donating more than 800,000 meals over two years (2020-2021).
Helping in times of crisis: Continuing the organization’s commitment to support communities in times of crisis through its partnership with the Canadian Red Cross and other local community efforts supported by its independent franchisees.
- For example, in May 2020 McDonald’s supported the Canadian Red Cross through corporate donations and with more than $1.1 million from its #FriesForGood fundraising campaign.
Food Quality & Sourcing
The organization remains committed to serving great-tasting, quality food and supporting the next generation of Canadian farmers through:
Sourcing: Sourcing ingredients like freshly cracked Canada Grade A eggs, potatoes, dairy and beef from nearly 50,000 Canadian farms.
- For example, the company sourced more than 600 million freshly cracked Canada Grade A eggs from 2017 to 2021.
Agricultural practices: Supporting regenerative agricultural practices in Canada along with the company’s partners and suppliers.
- For example, Ducks Unlimited Canada has teamed up with McDonald’s Canada and Cargill to support rancher-led work through a $5 million Forage Program. The program will work to return 125,000 acres (50,585 hectares) of cropland to grass and pasture by 2025.
Sustainable beef production: Supporting sustainable beef production here in Canada.
- The organization sources at least 30% of the beef for McDonald’s Quarter Pounder burgers from farms and ranches certified to Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) standards. crsbcertified.ca
Future of farming: Continuing to help support future generations of Canadian farmers.
- For example, McDonald’s is a proud sponsor of the Cattlemen’s Young Leaders Mentorship program, a national initiative of the Canadian Cattle Association established in 2010 that provides young people aged 18 to 35 with industry-specific training and mentorship opportunities to help further the success of the Canadian beef industry into the future.
Our Planet
The company is helping create an impact in the communities where it operates for the planet we share on:
Emissions: Working towards McDonald’s global pledge to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
- For example: In April 2022, McDonald’s Canada introduced the first-ever electric vehicle, a zero-tail pipe emission tractor from Volvo to its distribution fleet. With its supply chain distribution partner, Martin Brower, the new Volvo VNR Electric Class 8 tractor is being trialled for distribution to restaurants in the Montreal area.
Packaging: Committing to McDonald’s global goal to source 100% of primary guest packaging from renewable, recycled, or certified sources by the end of 2025.
- For example, in May 2022, McDonald’s completed a paper fibre reduction initiative for its McCafé hot cups. This reduction will eliminate nearly 700 tonnes of paper fibre from the Canadian system annually.
Happy MealnToys: Working towards McDonald’s global ambition to drastically reduce the virgin fossil fuel-based plastics used in Happy Meal toys and offer Happy Meal toys made from more renewable, recycled, or certified materials by the end of 2025.
“When we take care of our communities, we serve our guests better. And when we lead with our values, we know the size and scale of our business can help us make a real impact. The commitments we’re making highlight that every step we take today is an investment in our future,” says Pryor.
Telling Canadians about Love what’s next
McDonald’s Canada is sharing its commitments and ambitions by getting its guests and communities all over Canada excited to Love what’s next with a new marketing campaign. Supported by TV, OLV, digital, Spotify, e-mail, website and social, the Love what’s next campaign’s anthemic launch will speak to the areas of impact, and formally introduce Canada to McDonald’s role in feeding and fostering communities here at home.
“For Canadians, McDonald’s is a magical mix of nostalgia and excitement for what our next step will be. Generation-defining birthday parties, millions of dollars raised to support RMHC and supporting communities in times of crisis are part of our core identity as a brand,” said Alyssa Buetikofer, Chief Marketing Officer & Vice President, Marketing, McDonald’s Canada. “We’re on a mission to make it easy for Canadians to trust and admire who we are as a company. This is a long-term campaign that reflects a major shift in our business towards being more actively purpose-led.”
Guests can expect to hear more announcements about the commitments McDonald’s Canada has set related to each area of impact in the coming months.
News and information presented in this release has not been corroborated by QSR, Food News Media, or Journalistic, Inc.
