The Alberta government will be allocating $10 million to food banks to address food security. “Specifically, $3.7 million is going to food banks as well as our partners in SCSS (Seniors, Community and Social Services) who are helping us with grants support immediately,” said Alberta Seniors, Community and Social Services Minister Jason Nixon at a Monday press conference. “Some of it has already left.” Nixon said another $4.1 million will go towards food security grants and applications throughout November, which will open soon on the Alberta government’s website. He added $2.2 million will be provided to Food Banks Alberta (FBA) to develop a program to co-ordinate food banks’ needs during emergencies. Like his mandate letter requested, he said the Alberta government will “provide adequate and long-term funding to our food bank partners, and we will continue to look for other ways to partner with those important organizations to meet our objectives as a province and make Albertans' lives easier.” He said he would be remiss if he did not talk about the carbon tax and its desire to remove it to address affordability problems. Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem said if the carbon tax was eliminated, the inflation rate would decrease by 16%. The single largest impact to food costs comes from the increase to fuel costs, because farms, transportation and grocery stores are impacted by the carbon tax. Nixon called on the Canadian government to make life easier for Albertans. In the meantime, it will continue to spend $5.1 billion on affordability measures. Edmonton’s Food Bank (EFB) Executive Director Marjorie Bencz started off the press conference by saying her organization is a central warehouse that collects and distributes food to more than 300 schools, soup kitchens, shelters, food depots and community groups. “In August, we served 37,400 people through our hamper programs alone, which is a record high for our organization,” said Bencz. “We have 67 depots located throughout Edmonton where people access hamper programs.” While EFB is known for its work with the hamper program, Bencz said it offers a number of services in the community. It offers food to shelters such as Hope Mission, and it comes into it up to three times per day to pick it up. FBA Executive Director Shawna Bissell called every food bank in Alberta “as unique and distinctive as the community in which it serves.” “They all however share one commonality and that is a commitment to ensure children, families, seniors and individuals do not leave their spaces hungry,” said Bissell. “This announcement today is about food, but just as importantly, it is about ensuring access to food, regardless of where you live in our province.” Bissell said this funding will support food banks as they show people compassion, consideration, efficiency and effectiveness. It will fuel the trucks to transport food to rural and remote areas, where transportation is a barrier. Nixon followed by saying the top issue is the carbon tax. “This is what is costing us so much to be able to create food compared to other jurisdictions,” he said. “That does not mean inflation will go away.” While inflation and food bank demand will remain a challenge, he said the Canadian government has a tool right now that can reduce costs by 16%. If people did not have to pay as much to dry grain, he said inflation would be lower this year. The Alberta government spent $10 million to help food banks and food security organizations feed families and noted more money was on the way in April. READ MORE: UCP government gives $10 million to help food banksIt announced $20 million over two years to support food banks and related food security organizations across Alberta in 2022. To date, $10 million of that funding was distributed to 210 organizations to help put food on the tables of struggling Albertans.
The Alberta government will be allocating $10 million to food banks to address food security. “Specifically, $3.7 million is going to food banks as well as our partners in SCSS (Seniors, Community and Social Services) who are helping us with grants support immediately,” said Alberta Seniors, Community and Social Services Minister Jason Nixon at a Monday press conference. “Some of it has already left.” Nixon said another $4.1 million will go towards food security grants and applications throughout November, which will open soon on the Alberta government’s website. He added $2.2 million will be provided to Food Banks Alberta (FBA) to develop a program to co-ordinate food banks’ needs during emergencies. Like his mandate letter requested, he said the Alberta government will “provide adequate and long-term funding to our food bank partners, and we will continue to look for other ways to partner with those important organizations to meet our objectives as a province and make Albertans' lives easier.” He said he would be remiss if he did not talk about the carbon tax and its desire to remove it to address affordability problems. Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem said if the carbon tax was eliminated, the inflation rate would decrease by 16%. The single largest impact to food costs comes from the increase to fuel costs, because farms, transportation and grocery stores are impacted by the carbon tax. Nixon called on the Canadian government to make life easier for Albertans. In the meantime, it will continue to spend $5.1 billion on affordability measures. Edmonton’s Food Bank (EFB) Executive Director Marjorie Bencz started off the press conference by saying her organization is a central warehouse that collects and distributes food to more than 300 schools, soup kitchens, shelters, food depots and community groups. “In August, we served 37,400 people through our hamper programs alone, which is a record high for our organization,” said Bencz. “We have 67 depots located throughout Edmonton where people access hamper programs.” While EFB is known for its work with the hamper program, Bencz said it offers a number of services in the community. It offers food to shelters such as Hope Mission, and it comes into it up to three times per day to pick it up. FBA Executive Director Shawna Bissell called every food bank in Alberta “as unique and distinctive as the community in which it serves.” “They all however share one commonality and that is a commitment to ensure children, families, seniors and individuals do not leave their spaces hungry,” said Bissell. “This announcement today is about food, but just as importantly, it is about ensuring access to food, regardless of where you live in our province.” Bissell said this funding will support food banks as they show people compassion, consideration, efficiency and effectiveness. It will fuel the trucks to transport food to rural and remote areas, where transportation is a barrier. Nixon followed by saying the top issue is the carbon tax. “This is what is costing us so much to be able to create food compared to other jurisdictions,” he said. “That does not mean inflation will go away.” While inflation and food bank demand will remain a challenge, he said the Canadian government has a tool right now that can reduce costs by 16%. If people did not have to pay as much to dry grain, he said inflation would be lower this year. The Alberta government spent $10 million to help food banks and food security organizations feed families and noted more money was on the way in April. READ MORE: UCP government gives $10 million to help food banksIt announced $20 million over two years to support food banks and related food security organizations across Alberta in 2022. To date, $10 million of that funding was distributed to 210 organizations to help put food on the tables of struggling Albertans.
