The city of Winnipeg joined over 20 communities in Canada today as a town dedicated to buying and using fair trade products.

Fair Trade Canada designated Winnipeg as the country's 25th Fair Trade Town. The designation goes to communities in which people and organizations use every day choices to increase sales of fair trade products, according to Fair Trade Canada Executive Director Julie Francoeur, who was on hand to present the city with the official designation. 

"These products are things we use every day," said Francoeur. "An extra five cents when buying a fair trade coffee actually makes a lot of difference to producers in southern countries." 

"It's a direct action we can take every day," she continued. "It's not asking you to do something out of the ordinary. It's just making a quick switch and thinking about what kind of bananas you're buying or coffee you're drinking or chocolate you're putting in your kid's lunchbox." 

"Those decisions have a huge impact in the south and we can continue to feed ourselves but do it more responsibly."

Francoeur says city's have to have an availability of fair trade product and a buying commitment from city council to use fair trade products at different city run institutions in order to qualify. 

Lindsay Mierau is the Environmental Coordinator for the city of Winnipeg and says they have that covered. 

"For the city what it means is we'll be serving certified fair trade coffee, tea and sugar here at city hall for things like council meetings where staff and the public are able to attend," said Mierau. "We'll be encouraging staff to buy fair trade as well."

Donna Dag is the Chair of the Fair Trade Winnipeg steering committee. 

She says the designation is a sign that Winnipeg is a big supporter of fair trade products. 

"This shows just how many different stakeholders we have supporting the fair trade movement," said Dag. "This includes restaurant owners, grocery stores, businesses, schools, community groups and of course the individual citizen." 

"Collectively we are taking action to buy a better world." 

The Fair Trade Town designation supports a unanimous vote from City Council on April 27, 2011 that the Winnipeg Public Service incorporate more environmentally and socially sustainable procurement practices.