Plant-Based Canada Podcast

In this episode of the Plant-Based Canada podcast, we talk to an amazing duo who are putting their athletic endurance to the test for a first of its kind project they call Wings of Survival. A 30,000 km, 9-month cycling and packrafting traverse of the Pacific Americas Flyway, emulating the extraordinary journeys of migratory birds, from the remote reaches of Alaska’s High Arctic to the extreme lands of Patagonia.

Timm Döbert has a PhD in Global Change Ecology from University of Western Australia. He’s a lecturer at the University of Alberta. A Royal Canadian Geographical Society fellow. A Scientific Exploration Society fellow. A Global Sustainable Sport ambassador. And an Ironman athlete.

Leanna Carriere is Canada’s first female decathlete. She’s a former international track & field athlete. An Ironman athlete. A personal trainer. A Seven Summits Snacks co-founder. An EcoAthlete champion. A Global Sustainable Sport ambassador. And a mom.

Together, they’re embarking on a project called Wings of Survival in June of 2026.

Resources

On Wings of Survival  

Canada30x30

“Energy balance in cyclists on plant-based diets during a 30-day, 4300-km ride across Canada: Two case studies”

Instagram

GoFundMe

U of A Folio

UNCN

Bonus Promotion

Check out University of Guelph's online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate. Each 4-week course will guide you through essential plant-based topics including nutritional benefits, disease prevention, and environmental impacts. You can also customize your learning with unique courses such as Plant-Based Diets for Athletes and Implementing a Plant-Based Diet at Home. As the first university-level plant-based certificate in Canada, you’ll explore current research, learn from leading industry experts, and join a community of like-minded people. Use our exclusive discount code PBC2026 to save 10% on all Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate courses. uoguel.ph/pbn.

Support the show

Dr. Samantha Green is currently a family physician at the St. Michael’s Hospital Sumac Creek Health Centre in Regent Park and an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto's Temerty Faculty of Medicine under the Department of Family and Community Medicine. She is also Board Member at the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Dr. Green completed medical school at the University of Ottawa in 2011 and residency in Family Medicine residency at McMaster University in 2013.

We discuss her day-to-day with patients, her work with Canadian Family Physician on prioritizing sustainable primary care, the impact of hospital and food systems on the environment, and her advocacy work around climate and planetary health with the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment.

Resources

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment

 Dr. Green’s work with Canadian Family Physician:

“Sustainable Primary Care Toolkit”

“Planetary health lens for primary care”

“Reducing the environmental burden of unnecessary investigations”

“Climate-conscious inhaler prescribing for family physicians”

Bonus Promotion

Check out University of Guelph's online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate. Each 4-week course will guide you through essential plant-based topics including nutritional benefits, disease prevention, and environmental impacts. You can also customize your learning with unique courses such as Plant-Based Diets for Athletes and Implementing a Plant-Based Diet at Home. As the first university-level plant-based certificate in Canada, you’ll explore current research, learn from leading industry experts, and join a community of like-minded people. Use our exclusive discount code PBC2026 to save 10% on all Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate courses. uoguel.ph/pbn.

Support the show

Welcome to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast! In today’s episode, we’re joined by Leslie Ewing  to discuss Driving Change in Canada’s Plant-Based Industry: Insights from Plant Based Foods of Canada.

With over twenty-five years of experience in the consumer-packaged goods sector, Leslie Ewing has been instrumental in shaping Canada’s plant-based foods industry. As Executive Director of Plant-Based Foods of Canada (PBFC), she has built one of the first globally recognized plant-based organizations, creating a farm-to-fork membership that fosters collaboration, research, and industry growth. Under her leadership, PBFC has become a unified voice for manufacturers, ingredient companies, VCs, brokers, distributors, and retailers, driving market expansion and consumer adoption. 

Leslie was key in establishing the Plant-Based Foods Global Alliance, working alongside international partners to align efforts and support the plant-based sector worldwide. She also led the launch of Canada’s first National Plant-Based Food Week, creating a platform to showcase the industry’s innovation and potential. A firm believer in data-driven decision-making, she champions the use of market insights and consumer research to inform industry strategies and strengthen advocacy efforts. In addition to her leadership in the plant-based sector, Leslie has extensive experience advising and driving strategic growth for small to mid-sized companies through her own consulting company. She has worked as both an outside expert and an executive for hire, helping businesses refine their strategic direction, navigate market challenges, and accelerate growth. 

Her past leadership roles include Program Director for the Nutrition Facts Education Campaign, a pioneering public-private partnership with Health Canada, and Executive Director of the Confectionery Manufacturers Association of Canada. She is passionate about driving innovation, collaboration, and sustainable growth in the plant-based sector.

Plant Based Foods of Canada’s Socials:

Website: www.plantbasedfoodscanada.ca

Linkedin: Plant Based Foods of Canada

Instagram & Facebook: plantbasedcan

Leslie Ewing’s Socials:
LinkedIn:  leslieeewing

Plant-Based Canada’s Socials:

Instagram  (@plantbasedcanadaorg)

Facebook (Plant-Based Canada, https://m.facebook.com/plantbasedcanadaorg/)

Website  (https://www.plantbasedcanada.org/)

X / Twitter @PBC_org

Bonus Promotion

Check out University of Guelph's online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate. Each 4-week course will guide you through essential plant-based topics including nutritional benefits, disease prevention, and environmental impacts. You can also customize your learning with unique courses such as Plant-Based Diets for Athletes and Implementing a Plant-Based Diet at Home. As the first university-level plant-based certificate in Canada, you’ll explore current research, learn from leading industry experts, and join a community of like-minded people. Use our exclusive discount code PBC2025 to save 10% on all Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate courses. uoguel.ph/pbn.

Thank you for tuning in! Make sure to subscribe to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast so you get notified when new episodes are published. 

This episode was hosted by Stephanie Nishi RD, PhD.

Support the show

Welcome to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast! In today’s episode, we’re joined by Dr. Linda Ho, Research Chair with NAIT’s Applied Research Centre for Culinary Innovation (@NAIT), to discuss food product innovations, in particular her knowledge and experience related to plant-based proteins.

Linda is a Research Chair and a Food Scientist whose experience has spanned from food quality assurance and control, to product development, to mentoring and lecturing students at post secondary institutions.  Her primary product development focus has been with exploration of plant-based ingredients and understanding their functional inclusion in innovative food products, running sensory evaluation panels, and providing science-based solutions for food companies ranging from start-ups to large corporations. 

Resources:

NAIT Applied Research website  https://www.nait.ca/applied-research/home

Centre for Culinary Innovation  https://www.nait.ca/applied-research/about/centres/centre-for-culinary-innovation

Dr. Linda Ho’s Socials:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-ho3/?originalSubdomain=ca

NAIT’s Socials:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NAIT

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/nait

X: https://x.com/NAIT

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nait/

Plant-Based Canada’s Socials:

Instagram  (@plantbasedcanadaorg)

Facebook (Plant-Based Canada, https://m.facebook.com/plantbasedcanadaorg/)

Website  (https://www.plantbasedcanada.org/)

X / Twitter @PBC_org

Bonus Promotion

Check out University of Guelph's online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate. Each 4-week course will guide you through essential plant-based topics including nutritional benefits, disease prevention, and environmental impacts. You can also customize your learning with unique courses such as Plant-Based Diets for Athletes and Implementing a Plant-Based Diet at Home. As the first university-level plant-based certificate in Canada, you’ll explore current research, learn from leading industry experts, and join a community of like-minded people. Use our exclusive discount code PBC2025 to save 10% on all Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate courses. uoguel.ph/pbn.

Thank you for tuning in! Make sure to subscribe to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast so you get notified when new episodes are published. 

Support the show

Welcome to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast! In today’s episode, we’re joined by Matt Noble to discuss basic income, food security, and the systemic changes needed to ensure that no one goes hungry.

Matt Noble is the founder and Executive Director of Toronto Vegetarian Food Bank, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing nutritious plant-based food to individuals and families struggling with poverty and food insecurity across Toronto. Matt is a lead of the Put Food Banks Out Of Business (PFOB) initiative which is a national campaign advocating for a guaranteed, livable basic income—an income floor below which no Canadian can fall, as well as producer of the Plant-Based Subway Ad Toronto campaign , where in June & July of 2025, some of Toronto’s most inspiring vegan leaders were highlighted among 1100 TTC subway posters, illustrating how joyful and diverse plant-powered living can be.

Matt studied Journalism at Centennial College, and is a researcher in the areas of poverty alleviation, food insecurity, housing, economics, public policy, agriculture and is an avid gardener.

He works to advocate for a guaranteed liveable basic income as the most effective policy solution for addressing poverty and food insecurity.

Resources:

Plant-Based Canada Conference Talk:  https://vimeo.com/ontariobarassociation/download/1088460575/f17705f09d

Put Food Banks Out Of Business: https://www.putfoodbanksoutofbusiness.com/ 

The Plant-Based Toronto Subway Ad Campaign: https://www.plantbasedtoronto.ca/

PROOF Report: https://proof.utoronto.ca/ 

Matt Noble’s Socials:
Toronto Vegetarian Food Bank

Plant-Based Toronto

Put Food Banks Out Of Business

Plant-Based Canada’s Socials:

Instagram  (@plantbasedcanadaorg)

Facebook (Plant-Based Canada, https://m.facebook.com/plantbasedcanadaorg/)

Website  (https://www.plantbasedcanada.org/)

X / Twitter @PBC_org

Bonus Promotion

Check out University of Guelph's online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate. Each 4-week course will guide you through essential plant-based topics including nutritional benefits, disease prevention, and environmental impacts. You can also customize your learning with unique courses such as Plant-Based Diets for Athletes and Implementing a Plant-Based Diet at Home. As the first university-level plant-based certificate in Canada, you’ll explore current research, learn from leading industry experts, and join a community of like-minded people. Use our exclusive discount code PBC2025 to save 10% on all Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate courses. uoguel.ph/pbn.

Thank you for tuning in! Make sure to subscribe to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast so you get notified when new episodes are published. 

This episode was hosted by Stephanie Nishi RD, PhD.

Support the show

Juliet Schor is an economist and Professor of Sociology at Boston College. Her research focuses on work, consumption, and climate change. She has been studying working time since the 1980s. Since 2021 she has been a lead researcher for Four Day Week Global’s work time reduction trials. She is particularly interested in barriers to work time reduction, the connections between working hours and carbon emissions, the well-being impacts of work time reduction, and how companies are implementing four-day weeks. Her book Four Days A Week, was published by HarperBusiness was published in June and is available now. 

Resources

Juliet's TED Talk: The case for a 4-day work week

Julet's new book: Four Days a Week: The Life-Changing Solution for Reducing Employee Stress, Improving Well-Being, and Working Smarter

Juliet's Blue Sky

Bonus Promotion

Check out University of Guelph's online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate. Each 4-week course will guide you through essential plant-based topics including nutritional benefits, disease prevention, and environmental impacts. You can also customize your learning with unique courses such as Plant-Based Diets for Athletes and Implementing a Plant-Based Diet at Home. As the first university-level plant-based certificate in Canada, you’ll explore current research, learn from leading industry experts, and join a community of like-minded people. Use our exclusive discount code PBC2026 to save 10% on all Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate courses. uoguel.ph/pbn.

Support the show

Welcome to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast! In today’s episode, we’re joined by Jason Fonger to chat about his experiences from being a plant based athlete, living in Thailand and his environmental observations, to professional speaking for schools.  

Jason Fonger is a triathlon champion and professional speaker from Ontario, Canada. A vegan for more than 15 years, he combines evidence-based nutrition with elite endurance training to prove that plants fuel peak performance. He works primarily with secondary schools, delivering interactive workshops designed to empower students and professionals with the transformative benefits of plant-based eating. He is also in the process of collaborating with school boards to pilot plant-based cafeteria programs that bridge the gap between current school food offerings and Canada’s Food Guide, helping shape an aligned and inclusive National School Food Program.

Resources:

Book: The Plant Based Athlete by Matt Frazier & Robert Cheeke 

Stories of world-class plant-powered athletes: https://www.greatveganathletes.com 

Jason Fonger’s Socials:
Website: https://www.jasonfonger.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonfonger
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonfonger
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jasonfonger
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jasonfonger

Plant-Based Canada’s Socials:

Instagram  (@plantbasedcanadaorg)

Facebook (Plant-Based Canada, https://m.facebook.com/plantbasedcanadaorg/)

Website  (https://www.plantbasedcanada.org/)

X / Twitter @PBC_org

Bonus Promotion

Check out University of Guelph's online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate. Each 4-week course will guide you through essential plant-based topics including nutritional benefits, disease prevention, and environmental impacts. You can also customize your learning with unique courses such as Plant-Based Diets for Athletes and Implementing a Plant-Based Diet at Home. As the first university-level plant-based certificate in Canada, you’ll explore current research, learn from leading industry experts, and join a community of like-minded people. Use our exclusive discount code PBC2025 to save 10% on all Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate courses. uoguel.ph/pbn.

Thank you for tuning in! Make sure to subscribe to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast so you get notified when new episodes are published. 

This episode was hosted by Stephanie Nishi RD, PhD.

Support the show

Welcome to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast! In today’s episode, we’re joined by Dr. Joan Sabaté, a renowned physician and nutrition researcher, best known for his work on environmental and sustainable nutrition, and the health benefits of nuts and plant-based diets.

Dr. Joan Sabaté MD, PhD is a Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology. He directs the Environmental Nutrition research program at Loma Linda University School of Public Health and he is also a board-certified physician in Internal Medicine. He was the principal investigator of a nutrition intervention trial that directly linked the consumption of walnuts to significant reductions in serum cholesterol, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1993. He is a co-investigator of the Adventist Health Studies, the largest cohort of individuals following a vegetarian diet relating dietary intake with health outcomes. For the past 25 years, he has been the principal investigator of many human nutrition intervention trials investigating the health effects of nuts, avocados, and other plant foods. Dr. Sabaté has authored more than 200 high-impact research articles (with an h-index of 82 and >40,000 citations). Additionally, he was a member of the US 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.

Resources:

Adventist Health Study 2 Studies: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23836264/; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30487555/

Whole-food, plant-based lifestyle intervention trial: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39305340/

Review of Plant-Based Milks: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36083996/ 

2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans: https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/resources/2020-2025-dietary-guidelines-online-materials

Nuts & Health: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8357360/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8269904/ 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15559025/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10479222/

Dr. Joan Sabaté’s Socials:
Faculty profile

International Congress of Vegetarian Nutrition

Environmental Nutrition

LLU Nutrition Center

Plant-Based Canada’s Socials:

Instagram

Facebook

Website

Bonus Promotion

Check out University of Guelph's online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate. Each 4-week course will guide you through plant-based topics including nutritional benefits, disease prevention, and environmental impacts. Use our exclusive discount code PBC2025 to save 10% on all Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate courses. uoguel.ph/pbn.

Thank you for tuning in! Make sure to subscribe to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast so you get notified when new episodes are published. 

Support the show

Welcome to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast! In today’s episode, we’re joined by Eleanor Carrara, the Founder and President of the Canadian University Initiative and Co-Founder, President, and Board Director of the Plant-Based Cities Movement (PBCM).

At PBCM, together with her dedicated team of volunteers they lead national efforts to advance plant-forward food policies. PBCM has successfully advocated for plant-based food motions/policies in 6 Canadian municipalities to date, with others in the pipeline. Through the Canadian University Initiative, Eleanor and her campaign manager work with chefs, students, and sustainability staff to identify barriers and implement strategies that increase plant-based food on campuses. The initiative has conducted national surveys and convened steering committees to monitor and support institutional change. Eleanor brings over 25 years of global telecommunications experience, having held senior leadership roles at a major international provider of digital infrastructure and network services.

Resources:

PBCM Website: https://plantbasedcities.org/

PBCM Instagram: @plantbasedcitiesmovement

PBCM LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/plant-based-cities-

movement/posts/?feedView=all&viewAsMember=true 

University Initiative Website: https://onlineacademiccommunity.uvic.ca/defaultveg/canadian-

universities/

Eleanor Carrara’s Socials:
Emails:

[email protected]

[email protected]

LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/eleanorcarrara

Plant-Based Canada’s Socials:

Instagram  (@plantbasedcanadaorg)

Facebook (Plant-Based Canada, https://m.facebook.com/plantbasedcanadaorg/)

Website  (https://www.plantbasedcanada.org/)

X / Twitter @PBC_org

Bonus Promotion

Check out University of Guelph's online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate. Each 4-week course will guide you through essential plant-based topics including nutritional benefits, disease prevention, and environmental impacts. You can also customize your learning with unique courses such as Plant-Based Diets for Athletes and Implementing a Plant-Based Diet at Home. As the first university-level plant-based certificate in Canada, you’ll explore current research, learn from leading industry experts, and join a community of like-minded people. Use our exclusive discount code PBC2025 to save 10% on all Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate courses. uoguel.ph/pbn.

Thank you for tuning in! Make sure to subscribe to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast so you get notified when new episodes are published. 

This episode was hosted by Stephanie Nishi RD, PhD.

Support the show

For more than 30 years, Dr. Christopher Gardner—Rehnborg Farquhar professor of medicine at Stanford, and nutrition scientist—has studied what to consume and to avoid for optimal health, and how best to motivate individuals to achieve healthy dietary behaviors. He recently completed a two-year term serving on the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee and is the past chair of the American Heart Association’s Nutrition Committee.

He has conducted and published dozens of human nutrition intervention trials, including trials of Mediterranean, Ketogenic, Vegan, Low-Fat and Low-Carb diets and their effects on cardiometabolic health. He was also the keynote speaker for the 6th Canadian Plant-Based Nutrition Conference this year, where he delved into his “Twin Study”, which was featured in a Netflix docuseries titled “You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment.”

Dr. Gardner joins the PBC Podcast to bust down some of the comments and criticism around his Twin Study, discuss how he weighs strength of evidence, and misinformation around plant-based meat alternatives. 

Resources

Instagram

Twitter/X

LinkedIn

Website

You are What You Eat docuseries

Twins Study paper

Bonus Promotion

Check out University of Guelph's online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate. Each 4-week course will guide you through essential plant-based topics including nutritional benefits, disease prevention, and environmental impacts. You can also customize your learning with unique courses such as Plant-Based Diets for Athletes and Implementing a Plant-Based Diet at Home. As the first university-level plant-based certificate in Canada, you’ll explore current research, learn from leading industry experts, and join a community of like-minded people. Use our exclusive discount code PBC2025 to save 10% on all Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate courses. uoguel.ph/pbn.

Support the show