Food & Catering for Events

1. A Catered Event will be approved and provided by food service caterers who are part of the University Approved Caterers List. Anyone wishing to host a Catered Event on University space must select a caterer from the University’s Approved Caterers List.
   
2. A Food Waiver is not required for Catered Events. However, if the Event Organizer chooses to handle or manipulate the food which is delivered by the Approved Caterer, the Event Organizer must abide by the Procedures for the Sale or Service of Food and the Guide for Food Handlers.

1. Request a quote with the caterer prior to placing your order to ensure that you stay within budget (minimum 10 business days in advance).
2. The following procurement guidelines must be adhered to.  For more information visit Procurement.
   1. Catering orders should be paid using a University T-card
   2. Catering orders over $25,000 before tax require two written quotes
3. To save time, it is recommended to provide a maximum budget or a range to the caterer to receive a proposal that maximizes your value.
4. Review the quote carefully before confirming it. Pay close attention to date, location of event and delivery times.
   
5. Ask the caterer how many tables they require and make arrangements for tableclothes with caterer or external vendor. You will need to confirm the number of tables when you make the Faclilities Management request. See "Request the Room Setup and Cleaning Needs" section.
6. Be sure to specify whether you want compostable cutlery or real dishware.
   
7. Review deadline by which to confirm final numbers. Set a reminder to stay on top of confirming this to the caterer.  
8. Review cancellation terms and make sure you are comfortable.
9. Determine the number of tables you need for catering. You will need to know this when you make the request to Facilities Management. See "Request the Room Setup and Cleaning Needs" section. It is recommended to drape your food tables.  To rent tablecloths, you may consider external party rental companies.
10. The earlier you place your order the better. Most caterers ask you to order at least 72 hours prior to an event.

A Food Waiver is not required for Self-Catered Events where Low Risk Foods will be served or sold. However, the Event Organizer must abide by the Procedures for the Sale or Service of Food and the Guide for Food Handlers. The non-respect of the guidelines appearing in these documents may result in the shut down of the event, at the sole discretion of the University.

A completed Food Waiver must be received by the University at least 25 business days prior to the event date.

• If you indicated that you were self-catering during your MyEvents booking process, you have already agreed to the Food Waiver and therefore, you do not need to fill it out separately.
• If you decided to self-cater after you completed your request in MyEvents, you must complete the Food Waiver separately.

1. A completed Food Waiver must be received by the Designated Space Administrator (DSA) at least 25 business days prior to the event date.
2. A Special Event Permit is required by MAPAQ (Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec). A completed Special Event Permit application must be received by MAPAQ at least 6 weeks prior to the event date.

• If you indicated that you were self-catering during your MyEvents booking process, you have already agreed to the Food Waiver and therefore, you do not need to fill it out separately.
• If you decided to self-cater after you completed your request in MyEvents, you must complete the Food Waiver separately.

Low Risk Foods are foods that pathogens have trouble surviving in because they are drier, have a high sugar or salt content, or are more acidic. These foods do not need to be kept hot or cold.

Examples of Low Risk Foods:

• Cakes (except cheesecake or cream (dairy) filled cakes which are considered High Risk Foods)
• Cookies, squares/bars
• Muffins
• Cupcakes (except cream (dairy) filled which are considered High Risk Foods)
• Fruit pies not requiring refrigeration
• Tarts
• Breads
• Candies, popcorns, chocolates, fudge, brownies

Although traditional bake sale foods such as bread, cakes, pies, cookies and candies rarely cause illness, it is important to remember that under the right circumstances any food can cause foodborne illness.

High Risk Foods are foods that can support the growth of pathogens and/or foods that have been associated with causing foodborne illness. These foods must be kept and served hot or cold.

Examples of High Risk Foods:

• Meats
• Dairies
• Cheesecake
• Pumpkin and meringue pies
• Frostings or fillings with cream cheese, custards, whipped cream or cheese

Money is collected on-site as food is sold or food is not sold on site but money is collected through a registration, admission, donation fee to attend the event, and the money collected goes towards the cost of the event or the food being provided.