Food bank officials in Timmins react to new Food Banks Canada report

The food bank at the Good Samaritan Inn in Timmins was in luck Monday when a local grocery store donated some food items.

“I guess because of renovations at Food Basics, we weren’t getting much so the shelves had been pretty well emptied," said Stan Cor, acting executive director of The Good Samaritan Inn.

"But now they’re restocked and we’re good to go."

Across the street, the South Porcupine Food Bank said it's doing OK for now, thanks to COVID-19 relief funding. Longer term, they are worried.

“I am concerned what happens when additional COVID money that the area has been receiving runs out, because we have been using those funds ... to help and ensure that our shelves are stocked," said Jason Sereda, treasurer of the South Porcupine Food Bank.

Both organizations have seen the challenges their clients face in the current, high inflation economy. The South Porcupine Food Bank served 330 clients in May and 90 of them were children.

The Food Banks Canada report found that one in five Canadians are going hungry and more than 60 per cent of Canadians said the high cost of housing was a factor causing food insecurity.

“Most of the people who access our food bank are people who are living in private market rentals and we have seen an increase in the cost of rent go up in our community, (and) across the province, as well," said Sereda.

"So I think we need to start looking at strategies that might help bring those rent costs down or provide people with more income to be able to afford everything they need — strategies perhaps such as basic income."

Cor agreed. He said The Good Samaritan Inn serves as a transitional living centre and he said they want to help more people, but can't due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“We’re only allowed one per room; that means a total of six," he said. "We still haven’t got the OK from the health unit to go back to double occupancy.”

The report also found that 40 per cent of people who are struggling earn less than $50,000 and nearly half of hungry Canadians are Indigenous.

Food Banks Canada is anticipating this summer will be one of the toughest food banks have ever experienced.