Soaring demand at Canadore College’s student food bank
Demand at Canadore College's student food bank is increasing as some college students are finding it hard to pay all of their expenses.
The school's food bank usage is up more than 50 per cent since the last school year and the shelves always need to be filled with food products.
"I have heard from a few students that tell me they have had to cut down on the food that they're eating,” said Jessica Crook, Canadore student council vice-president of student life.
Officials who run the food bank estimate close to 100 students have gotten help this semester. That number has doubled since the last school semester.
"The pandemic has put strain finally on a lot of families,” said Lise Paxton, the college’s student government coordinator.
“Students are coming to school for the first time and maybe their parents were without work. There are lots of factors."
The school is concerned with the trend, citing student struggles with high inflation, cost of schooling and only part-time jobs available in the daytime.
"The community approaches us all the time saying they're looking for staff, but they're in class until 5 o’clock and they can only work a couple hours a day,” said Paxton.
“They want to work but can't fill the hours.”
The food bank is run at all four of the college’s campuses, including the campus in West Parry Sound.
Canadore’s student council is aware of the issues and is working with the school, students and food bank to ensure they get the financial support they need.
"No one likes to hear it. It's people you know and people in your student body. But we are supporting those students as best as we can," said Crook.
The student council is hoping it can find ways to wean students off the food bank as the semester continues.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada Disability Benefit needs to safeguarded from clawbacks, MPs unanimously agree
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
BREAKING Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during UK trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Turfing Poilievre from House a clear sign of desperation by Trudeau Liberals
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
Your body needs these three forms of movement every week
Movement is movement, right? Not exactly. Here’s what your body is looking for in addition to your morning walk or yoga session, according to experts.
Six Canadian children repatriated from detention in Syria, Global Affairs Canada says
The Global Affairs Department says six Canadian children have been repatriated from detention in northeastern Syria.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Quebec to limit sperm donations per donor after 3 men from same family father hundreds of children
Quebec is looking at tightening the regulations around sperm donation in the province following the release of a documentary that revealed three men from the same family fathered hundreds of children.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.