In January 2017, Liz Sinclair took over a local Facebook group for vegetarians and vegans within the Guelph community. After a few short months, the group has evolved into a thriving hub for the local vegetarian and vegan community.
Sinclair is mostly vegan, which means she abstains from consuming all animal products, including meat, milk, or cheese.
Sinclair is originally from Alberta and now lives in Guelph with her three-year-old daughter and husband. She was 10 years old when she decided to eliminate meat from her diet.
“I recall being in a bookstore when I made the connection for the first time that farm animals are raised for meat. As you can imagine, small town Alberta in the early 90s didn't exactly have a thriving vegetarian community. My parents compromised with me and I stopped eating beef and pork at that time,” she shared.
By the time Sinclair was living on her own, she was completely meat free, and eventually transitioned to a mostly vegan diet.
Sinclair originally came to Guelph to complete her education as a veterinarian. After working in the emergency department of a vet clinic, Sinclair realized that her true passion was counselling. She is currently finishing her Masters of Counselling Degree and hopes to open a private clinic in downtown Guelph soon.
Sinclair is also the silent auction coordinator for Guelph’s annual Vegfest.
The festival celebrates the benefits of embracing a plant-based lifestyle. This year the festival is taking a break while the Goldie Mill venue is under construction, Sinclair explained. However, it is still hosting various community events, including the recent Veggielicious Summer Food Fair.
Sinclair’s most involved project is administering the online Facebook community, called Vegetarians and Vegans in Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
“We started by polling the members about what they want to see happen in the group and then based on that feedback, we wrote a mission statement for the group. People have responded very positively to infusing a bit of energy into the group,” said Sinclair, who co-runs the group with Christine Allard, the co-founder of Guelph’s VegFest.
As of August 2017, the group has around 800 members, with 1,600 Facebook posts, comments and reactions in the last month alone.
The group is a community hub that moves beyond simple online interaction. The group hosts local meet-ups within the community where members can meet like-minded friends and socialize together, often at a local vegan joint.
Sinclair said that not all members are strictly vegetarian or vegan. Many come to find recipes that are meatless and learn of local restaurants that serve healthy veg-friendly foods.
Sinclair believes that Guelph is a wonderful city for vegetarians.
“Guelph is such an amazing community built around community values such as inclusiveness, integrity and wellness. That sense of connection I had when I started university here 17 years ago is alive and well. Over time, I find myself more grateful for and more involved in this community. Living here has shaped who I am as a person, and I want to give back,” shared Sinclair, who is involved in many volunteer positions within the city.
Liz’s entire family eats a mostly vegan diet, although they eat eggs from a local neighbours rescue chickens.
Liz encourages all who are interested to join Guelph’s local Vegetarian and Vegan Facebook group. To join click here.
