Plant-Based Canada

What Plant-Based Canada does

Plant-Based Canada is a Canadian non-profit organization founded in 2019 by radiation oncologist Dr. Zahra Kassam and Registered Dietitian Michelle Fedele, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Its mission is to educate the public, healthcare professionals, and policymakers on the evidence-based benefits of whole-food plant-based nutrition for individual and planetary health. The organization does not develop proprietary technology; its core deliverable is a curated content and event portfolio built around the annual Canadian Plant-Based Nutrition & Health Conference (now in its 7th edition in 2026), a podcast featuring Canadian clinicians and researchers, a multi-category directory of plant-based health practitioners, and free resource guides covering starter, budget, and food-and-planetary-health topics, distributed via a Squarespace website, Buzzsprout podcast feed, YouTube, email newsletter, and active Facebook/Instagram channels.

The organization's primary audiences are Canadian healthcare professionals seeking evidence-based, CME-accredited nutrition education (conference programming is CPD-certified and IBLM/ABLM-approved) and members of the general public interested in transitioning to plant-based eating. A secondary audience comprises not-for-profit and community organizations working on food, equity, and sustainability. The business model is a hybrid non-profit construct: revenue is generated through paid conference tickets (in-person and online), on-demand access to recorded conference sessions, and donations solicited via the website, with the donor base and ticketing volume representing the principal scale signals. No funding rounds, institutional grants, sponsorship contracts, or financial statements are publicly disclosed.

Strategically, Plant-Based Canada has built a recognizable brand as Canada's only sustained annual plant-based nutrition conference, supported by formal continuing-education accreditation, an advisor bench that includes University of Toronto clinician-scientists, and an affiliated international coalition spanning Plant-Based Health Professionals UK, the Planetary Health Alliance, the Toronto Vegetarian Food Bank, and Humane World for Animals Canada. The 2024 departure of co-founder Michelle Fedele and the absence of disclosed financials, headcount, or institutional funding are the principal qualitative risks and information gaps for any analytical assessment.

Name

Plant-Based Canada

Legal name

Plant-Based Canada

Website

https://plantbasedcanada.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Plant-Based Canada is a Toronto-based non-profit founded in 2019 that educates Canadian healthcare professionals and the public on whole-food plant-based nutrition through an annual hybrid conference, a podcast, a practitioner directory, and free resource guides.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nutrition Education & Health Advocacy

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHSADAFAJ

Plant-Based & Vegetarian/Vegan Nutrition

Home & Personal Services/Fitness, Wellness & Personal Training/Nutrition Coaching & Weight Management

Keywords

• Plant-based nutrition education
• Non-profit health education
• Nutrition conferences
• Lifestyle medicine training
• Dietitian education resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Conference Revenue: The organization generates revenue through ticket sales for the annual Canadian Plant-Based Nutrition & Health Conference, which offers both in-person and online attendance options with continuing education credits.
2. Donations: Plant-Based Canada accepts donations through their website to support their educational mission and year-round programming.
3. On-Demand Content Access: Revenue generated from on-demand access to recorded conference sessions and educational content.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Plant-Based Canada is a non-profit organization that delivers education on whole food plant-based nutrition and health through an annual hybrid conference, a podcast featuring Canadian experts, a directory of plant-based health professionals, and free downloadable resource guides. Its core revenue-generating offerings are the Canadian Plant-Based Nutrition & Health Conference (in-person and online tickets, plus on-demand access) and donations, supported by free educational guides and a practitioner directory.

Product overview

Plant-Based Canada is a non-profit organization offering a portfolio of educational products focused on plant-based whole food nutrition. Its core offerings include the annual Canadian Plant-Based Nutrition & Health Conference (a hybrid in-person and online event offering CPD credits), the Plant-Based Canada Podcast featuring expert interviews, and a directory of plant-based health professionals. The organization also publishes free resource guides including the Plant-Based Starter Guide, Plant-Based on a Budget Guide, and Food & Planetary Health Guide. The conference is now in its 7th edition (2026) and the on-demand versions of past conferences are available for continued education access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Canadian Plant-Based Nutrition & Health Conference (CPBNC) Annual hybrid conference bringing together health professionals, researchers, and individuals to explore plant-based nutrition for health outcomes and planetary health. Offers CPD/IBLM/ABLM-accredited continuing education credits and both in-person and online attendance.
• Plant-Based Canada Podcast Podcast series featuring conversations with Canadian doctors, dietitians, athletes, and climate experts exploring nutritional sciences and how food choices impact health and the environment.
• Directory of Whole Food Plant-Based Health Professionals Searchable directory of physicians, registered dietitians, naturopathic doctors, and other healthcare professionals who follow plant-based whole food nutrition, including practitioner contact information, specialties, and locations across Canada.
• Plant-Based Starter Guide Practical guide for starting or enhancing a plant-based diet, including key benefits, nutrition info, the plant-based plate, meal ideas, and tips for adoption.
• Plant-Based on a Budget Guide Guide designed to help move to plant-based meals with a reasonable grocery budget, including shopping lists, breakfast and main meal recipes, and nutritional information.
• Food & Planetary Health Guide Resource guide exploring how food impacts planetary health, current unsustainability issues, and actions to build a food future supporting both human and planetary health, supported by ProVeg International.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 300 attendees at inaugural conference (2019)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Plant Based Health Professionals UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA non-profit, community interest company based in the UK, founded by Dr. Shireen Kassam. Its mission is to educate health professionals, members of the public and policy makers on the benefits of whole food plant-based nutrition for prevention and treatment of chronic disease. Dr. Shireen Kassam is also an advisor to Plant-Based Canada.
• Shape Up UScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA 501c3 non-profit corporation dedicated to 'Building A Healthier Future' and empowering children and families to lead healthier lives through awareness, education, and action programs including the Hip Hop Healthy Heart Program for Children.
• Trew PotentialsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides organizational leadership and transformation consulting grounded in social and environmental justice, equity, and radical inclusion. Supports organizations to transform culture and develop leadership skills.
• Planetary Health AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPHA promotes, mobilizes, and leads an inclusive, transdisciplinary field of planetary health. Launched in 2016, it is a coalition of 250+ member institutions from 50+ countries working to understand and address human health impacts of global environmental change.
• Humane World for Animals CanadasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormerly Humane Society International/Canada, this Canadian affiliate works to improve animal welfare through advocacy, policy change, public education, and practical programs promoting more humane and sustainable food systems.
• Toronto Vegetarian Food BanksupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerA fully plant-based food bank that has served over 350,000 meals worth of whole food groceries to people struggling with poverty and food insecurity, providing free nutrition consulting through volunteer registered dietitians.
• Plant-Based Partner CanadasupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner organization focused on plant-based nutrition advocacy and education in Canada, working to expand access to plant-based resources and education.
• ProVeg InternationalsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGenerous supporter of the Food & Planetary Health Guide. ProVeg is an international food awareness organization working to reduce global animal consumption.
• The CPD Certification ServicecoreOthersProvides recognized independent CPD accreditation compatible with global CPD principles for Plant-Based Canada's educational programs and conference sessions.
• International Board of Lifestyle Medicine (IBLM/ABLM)coreOthersThe conference is IBLM/ABLM approved for CME for the Lifestyle Medicine Maintenance of Certification (MOC), providing continuing education credits for healthcare professionals.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Plantrician Project: Non-profit dedicated to educating healthcare professionals about the benefits of whole food plant-based nutrition through conferences (the annual Plantrician Conference) and practitioner resources. Mirrors PBC's healthcare-professional education model.
• Plant-Based Partner Canada: Canadian non-profit partner of PBC focused on plant-based advocacy and education. Directly comparable domestic peer sharing mission and overlapping activities in Canada.
• Plant-Based Health Professionals UK: Sister non-profit founded by Dr. Shireen Kassam to educate UK health professionals and the public on whole food plant-based nutrition. Closest direct peer; both organizations share leadership family ties, CMAccreditation models, and educational missions.
• T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies: Offers the eCornell Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate and continuing education, educating both lay audiences and healthcare professionals on whole food plant-based diets. Highly comparable model targeting similar practitioner and consumer segments.

Broad incumbents

• Forks Over Knives: Plant-based education organization producing films, cookbooks, online courses, and community programs. A larger, well-funded incumbent with similar whole-food plant-based education content and health-professional engagement.
• ProVeg International: International food awareness organization working to reduce global animal product consumption through education, policy, and corporate engagement. Already a current partner/supporter of PBC's Food & Planetary Health Guide.
• Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM): Large US-based non-profit of physicians and allied health professionals that promotes plant-based nutrition through clinical research, conferences, and CME programs. A well-funded incumbent in the same evidence-based plant-based education space.

Emerging players

• Oldways: Non-profit nutrition education organization that develops heritage diet pyramids and resources, including plant-forward materials, and offers health-professional and consumer programming. Similar evidence-based nutrition education positioning.
• Veganuary: UK-based non-profit running an annual campaign that encourages people to try vegan for January, with significant public education and media reach. Comparable educational mission targeting mainstream public adoption of plant-based eating.

Others

• Humane World for Animals (formerly Humane Society International/Canada): Animal welfare and sustainable food systems organization that is an existing PBC affiliate. Focuses on advocacy rather than nutrition education but operates in an adjacent mission space tied to plant-based dietary shifts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCpFmxE56WRz6Dcvx70f4daw
• Facebookfacebook.com/plantbasedcanadaorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/plant-based-canada-org

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Plant-Based Canada