The shelves at Toronto’s Daily Bread Food Bank are restocked thanks to the thousands of donations collected in the 21st CANstruction® build. In all, 57,527 pounds of donated non-perishable food were sculpted into 19 audacious, edible statues all in an effort to support Toronto’s hunger gap.
CANstruction® Toronto is one of the largest private donors to the Daily Bread Food Bank through an annual contest that challenges architectural and engineering firms to create structures from full cans of food that are then donated to the food bank. This was the first year of the event since it was put on hold in 2020 due to the pandemic.
The donations came as local food banks struggle to keep up with unprecedented demand from a record number of Canadians needing help in the face of rising prices.
“Creativity, innovation and corporate social responsibility come together at CANstruction®,” says Neil Hetherington, CEO, Daily Bread Food Bank. “Through this incredible initiative, teams involved are not only helping to provide much needed food donations for families facing hunger, but also raising awareness about food insecurity, and having a direct impact in our community.”
Pre-pandemic, Daily Bread Food Bank saw about 65,000 client visits each month. That number has now quadrupled with a record high of nearly 270,000 client visits in March 2023.
“We were excited for the design and construction community to be able to come together again to use our skills to fight hunger in our city,” says Christina Facey, co-chair of CANstruction® Toronto. “This friendly competition not only shines a light on the incredible creativity in our industry, it also casts a spotlight on the fact that hunger is a reality for many people right now.”
Over the last 20 years, the architecture, engineering, construction and design industry in Toronto has raised over 1,000,000 pounds of food donations through the annual competition. In 2019, CANstruction® teams donated 68,785 lbs of shelf-stable food to Daily Bread, which was distributed to its member agencies’ meal programs and community-based food banks. Now, the need is greater than ever. Food bank visits across Toronto increased by nearly 42 per cent in 2022 compared to the year prior. This level of growth is unprecedented.
The CANstruction® competition recognizes a variety of factors, not just design aesthetics. The “Best Use of Labels” award focuses on creative graphic possibilities, the “Best Meal” award considers the variety and quality of the food donated, and “Structural Ingenuity” considers the complexity of the design.
CANstruction® Toronto build took place on May 15th. The completed “Canstructures” were judged by a jury and winners were announced at an evening reception on May 16th.
From its humble beginnings in 1992, CANstruction® has grown to become the largest food drive in the world with teams competing in 200 cities and tens of millions of pounds of food donated.
CANstruction® Toronto 2023 winning “Canstructures”
Best Original Design
Architecture49 Inc.
Get Crackin!
Structural Ingenuity
Architecture49 Inc.
Get Crackin!
Best Use of Labels
KPMB Architects
Nature vs. Nurture
Best Meal
Diamond Schmitt Architects
Be Kind and Feed your Neighbours
Honourable Mention
BDP Quadrangle
Healthy Meal
Since the event started in Toronto in 1999, CANstruction® Toronto has donated over one million pounds of food to Daily Bread Food Bank.
CANstruction® Toronto 2023 Participants
• Adamson Associates Architects
Tower of Sauron
Combining architectural finesse and creative prowess, our team’s Canstruction design depicts the awe-inspiring Tower of Sauron from the legendary realm of Middle-earth, captivating the essence of Lord of the Rings in an awe-inspiring tribute.
• ARCADIS IBI GROUP
Our bunny cares about hunger
Our bunny cares about hunger and is the perfect advocate to eliminate food insecurity for all!
• Architecture49 Inc.
Get Crackin!
The skyrocketing price of eggs in recent months is just one reason why feeding a family nutritious foods has become egg-ceptionally difficult, but with a bit of collaboration, creativity and egg-stra generosity, we can help those in need – so let’s get cracking!
• BDP Quadrangle
Healthy Meal
Many Canadians rely on takeout and fast food as an easy and convenient food source, while the cost and health benefits of this do not always look quite like a Happy Meal.
• Candevcon East Limited
Home is Where the Heart is
Our home welcomes you to open your hearts and give generously to your community.
• Canadian Turner Construction Company
Seize the opporTUNAty to feed the hungry
Seize the opporTUNAty to feed the hungry, and be that glimmer of hope in the community.
• Diamond Schmitt Architects
Be Kind and Feed your Neighbours
The raccoon sculpture encourages Torontonians to keep an open mind to all our neighbour and be kind to one another, especially in times of need.
• Echologics
Trashed Treasure
Trashed Treasure sculpture serves as a powerful visual representation of the issue of food waste across the country, highlighting both the magnitude of the problem and the regional variations in food insecurity.
• Grounded Engineering Inc.
Next Stop… Donation Station
Over 6000 cans stacked to form the newest iteration of the iconic TTC streetcar, reminding us that after a long day, food insecurity should not be on anyone’s mind.
• Graham Construction and Zeidler Architecture
Azadi (Liberty) Tower
• HOK & WSP Canada Inc.
Beyond the Event Horizon
Inspired by one of the Universe’s great mysteries, the black hole, cans of food swirl around the event horizon, a nod to the issue of food availability which appears endless for some but is an illusion to others.
• KPMB Architects
Nature vs. Nurture
A visual representation of nature reclaiming its dominance over human interference.
• LEA Consulting Ltd. + CS&P Architects
It’s a-me, CANrio!
CANrio! represents a world where nutritious food is always readily available so anyone can power up like Mario and unlock their full potential.
• NORR
Food for Thought
Our structure “Food for Thought” aims to provoke the thought of fighting hunger and helping those who are less fortunate in filling their tummies with much needed comfort and ease.
• Q4 ARCHITECTS
FOOD. FUTURE. FARMING.
We are worried about the loss of Ontario’s farmland and its effects on our food security; our futuristic, all-purpose, farming vehicle stands as an optimistic vision of an ethically produced and sustainable local agricultural future.
• RJC Engineers
CAN you SEA the big picture? Let’s take a bite out of hunger!
When we share our wealth with each other, as our oceans coral reefs, we can take a bite out of hunger and together thrive! This structure, by RJC Engineers Ltd, consists of close to 3000 cans of various food products depicting a Coral Reef complete with a Shark, Starfish and even a Treasure Chest.
• TPL Lighting + Design Agency
Made in CANada
A fully formed mitten, craftly made with intertwining stitches that serve the purpose of warming hands; this is a representation of our intertwining efforts to assemble a selection of cans to donate a full encompassing meal to fill bellies and warm heart.
• Turner Fleischer Architects Inc.
One Can
One Can ignite change.
• WZMH Architects
Layers of Emotions
Reaching through our inescapable visual overconsumption, sharing food brings layers of emotions to our lives, creates community and social connection, draws us all in.
CANstruction® Toronto 2023 Jury
• Sebastien Centner— Founder and Creative Director, Eatertainment
• Brooke Guzar— CEO, Blackwell Structural Engineers
• Elsa Lam — Editor, Canadian Architect Magazine
• Ajon Moriyama— Principal, Ajon Moriyama Architect
• Pascal Paquette — Visual and Experiential Artist
CANstruction® Toronto 2023 Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Smith + Andersen Consulting Engineers, Carpenters Union Local 27, Elevate, Design Exchange, Calador Communications
Silver Sponsors
Ontario Association of Architects, Construction Specifications Canada, DRE Industries, Association of Consulting Engineering Companies (Ontario Chapter), Canadian Association of Women in Construction
Bronze Sponsors
Speciifx, Brampton Brick
Hosts
Cadillac Fairview
Contributors
Astley-Gilbert Reproductions, Printing; Aaron Borchardt, Photographer
Organized By
SDA Canada
About CANstruction® Toronto
CANstruction® Toronto aims to engage, amaze and inspire professionals and students in the design, architecture and engineering industries to work together to gather food donations and raise public awareness to fight hunger and poverty.
For more information, visit:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/canstructionTO/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/canstructionTO/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/canstructionTO
About Daily Bread Food Bank
Daily Bread Food Bank works towards long-term solutions to end hunger and poverty and runs innovative programs to support individuals living on low income and experiencing food insecurity. Daily Bread distributes fresh and shelf-stable food, and fresh-cooked meals to 193 food programs at 128 member agencies across Toronto. Daily Bread also publishes the influential Who’s Hungry report – an annual survey measuring trends in food insecurity and poverty in Toronto to educate the public and spark policy change. For more information on Daily Bread Food Bank, please visit www.dailybread.ca.
