High cost of groceries worrying North Bay area food banks and charities
The cost of groceries continues to climb, leaving North Bay-area food banks and charities to worry as inflation rises.
Grocery prices have climbed nearly four per cent, while meat jumped 9.5 per cent. Pushing up the prices are supply-chain constraints, higher demand and labour force shortages that are increasing employee costs.
It’s a worrisome trend for staff at The Gathering Place soup kitchen as it serves hot meals for dinner to more than 200 people.
“That’s going to be an impact on any charity,” said executive director Dennis Chippa. “But a charity that bases itself entirely on donations like we are, it’s going to be difficult.”
Grocery prices have been on a steady rise since the beginning of the pandemic and both COVID-19 and climate change are the drivers behind the increases. Canadian grain farmers have had a tough year as droughts have damaged crops.
“There are some people at home right now making tough decisions,” said Chippa. “Decisions around rent and food. Inflation has gone up and that has impacted us and them.”
Chippa expects by the Holidays, The Gathering Place will see new customers and regulars come back even more often because they won’t be able to afford the necessities.
Over at the Callander Food Bank, Maureen Carrier and Deborah Hickey help provide food for 70 families struggling to make ends meet. They, too, have seen the prices go up.
“We are noticing the costs to buy the same amount of groceries now is significantly more than it would have been two years ago,” said Hickey.
With many places beginning to open up, demand has soared. Manufacturers and the agriculture businesses are struggling to keep up. Overall, Canada’s inflation rate has grown by more than four per cent. It’s the highest hike since 2003, according to Statistics Canada.
“We’ve already grown since September. September and October for both months, actually. People are really in need. Prices are rising. It’s a fact of life. People are not doing well economically,” said Carrier.
Experts said the cost of groceries could level out sometime next spring.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.