Courtesy
Representatives from certified centres take part in the Petits ambassadeurs launch in Estrie. From left to right: Michèle Lépine (Installation Cowie), Maryse Lussier (Installation Corbusier), Chantal Girard (Installation Horner), and Myriam Urquizo Grégoire, Executive Director. The centres recently received dual recognition for their commitment to local, sustainable, and educational food practices.
By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
A new initiative is helping children across the Eastern Townships get a literal taste of their local agricultural landscape. Through a program called Les Petits ambassadeurs, 22 early childhood centres are introducing locally grown food into their menus and engaging children in hands-on agricultural education, thanks to a coordinated effort by the Conseil de l’industrie bioalimentaire de l’Estrie (CIBLE).
The program, which began in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, aims to increase the use of local products in public institutions. “They wanted to find a way to have more local produce in places like kindergartens and other institutions,” explained Johanick Riendeau, Executive Director of CIBLE.
Estrie is the 15th region to adopt the initiative. Riendeau originally reported 17 participating centres but clarified in an interview that the number has since grown. “It said 17 kindergartens, but it’s more like 22,” she said. “Out of those 22, we have at least six establishments that are certified right now.”
To become certified, early childhood centres must meet seven out of ten local sourcing targets across categories like vegetables, fruit, dairy and protein. They must also conduct at least two educational activities each year related to food. “You can bring a farmer to your kindergarten, you can go to a farm, you can do a lot of activities,” Riendeau said. “Those two activities are really important for the educational purpose of the children.”
She acknowledged that the concept of “local food” can be abstract to young children, but added, “To know how to grow a tomato or a pumpkin, that’s our goal.”
Riendeau said the program also reaches beyond the children. “The parents are the ones who are doing the groceries, so by teaching the kids, we’re kind of teaching the adults also,” she said.
She praised the dedication of participating centres; especially given the challenges they face. “They work with a lot of budget restrictions,” she said. “It’s way easier to do business with a big supplier like GFS or Sysco than with a lot of small companies. But they believe in buying local and keeping the money in our ecosystem.”
The program is supported by multiple partners, including MAPAQ, the Ministère de l’Habilitation, the regional Table de concertation bioalimentaire (RTCBQ), and several Eastern Townships MRCs. Riendeau described CIBLE’s role as one of coordination. “Our job is to create… we are the glue between all of these participants so that everybody can work together and we can have good results.”
She also highlighted the willingness of farmers to adapt to the needs of childcare institutions. “Sometimes it can be more difficult or need more preparation,” she said. “We’re lucky to have producers that are willing to do that.”
The program isn’t only about nutrition—it’s also about taste and awareness. “What I would like is that [the children] can taste the difference,” Riendeau said. “The biggest comparison I can do is California strawberries versus our strawberries. They’ll taste the difference, and I hope they’ll grow up preferring to eat fresh vegetables.”
She added that the experience could plant a deeper seed. “We might create some dreams for them to have a garden. Maybe they’ll want to work with their hands.”
While most of the current participants are French-language institutions, Riendeau noted that materials are being adapted for broader accessibility. “We work with all the CPEs,” she said. “Right now, our documents, our tools, are being adapted.”
She emphasized that the program’s success depends on the commitment of local educators. “It takes a lot of time… but in every kindergarten there’s almost always a yes,” she said, referring to someone who typically champions the initiative internally. “To be frank, this person is not super well paid. Usually, it’s a woman who is working a lot and needs to be really creative. I would like to thank all of them for their openness and their willingness to make this happen, because it would not be possible without them.”