Our new mantra “The Association for ALL Canadian Bakers” has triggered a lot of discussion and has become the new philosophy for the BAC.
Membership
We are excited to expand our member categories to include Pâtissiers, Chocolatiers, Artisan and Market Bakers, as well as Hotels and Resorts. We are sure that our Industrial Bakers and Allied members as well as the “traditional” Canadian retail bakers will embrace this diversification. This, as well as opening a free membership to all students enrolled in a full-time or apprenticeship program, will ensure that our industry is on a firm footing and positive trajectory into the future. On the BAC chapter front, discussion is continuing to bring more regional representation with the support of local bakers, allieds and members.
In addition to our more inclusive outreach, we are also working on some exclusive partnerships that will deliver tangible benefits to our members, in some cases even offsetting the annual dues! We will wait to share the details as we move towards a big membership drive launch in mid-February.
Bakery Showcase
We continue to hear good news from our partners Annex Business Media on the exhibitor and attendee registration for the Bakery Showcase Trade Show and Conference, April 10-11 in Toronto. We are very confident there will be an in-person event in the spring and are excited to welcome the baking world to our convention.
Advocacy
Pierrette Buklis, our director of food and nutrition policy, has been very busy working on your behalf and has written her first report in this bulletin. We are very active with our partner associations lobbying on issues ranging from single-use plastics, the labour shortage and supply-chain issues. This very important government relations division of the BAC keeps the regulatory issues that face our baking industry in the forefront and our concerns and comments are sought and respected by the government departments charged with legislating these changes.
Why did you become a baker?
As mentioned in our last issue we are seeking personal stories from passionate bakers on their professional journey and why they chose to go into baking. We are delighted to include a wonderful autobiographical essay from Sheena Howdle, the lead baker from Banff’s Wild Flour Bakery. Who will be the next to relate their story? If you would like to share your history, please contact the BAC at info@baking.ca.
New directors
- The BAC is pleased to announce the addition of three new directors to the BAC board:
- Peter Jacobs, Baker’s Workshop, Newmarket, Ont.
- Alan Dumonceaux, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Edmonton, Alta.
- Kate Nugent, Humber College, Toronto Ont.
In the next issue we will present the expanded biographies of all the hard-working BAC directors who volunteer their time for our baking industry. / BJ
The BAC’s mission is to empower our members in providing nutritious and delicious baked goods to consumers in Canada and around the world through leading public policy, knowledge transfer and networking.
