Like many Liberal MPs, Pauline Rochefort has been discussing the federal budget and its impact on Canadians. On Thursday, Rochefort travelled to the Markstay Food Bank to discuss the proposed $124 million Local Food Infrastructure Fund over three years, which will support local food banks to purchase new equipment and support food purchases. Funding aimed at equipment, food purchases “We were announcing the overall funding for food banks across the country, monies that would allow them to buy storage equipment that they require,” said Rochefort. The food bank said the funding may help, as it operates out of a small garage. “Well, we’re in the garage. So, I mean, you could hear my fridge it beeps. We have two freezers that we’re using for storage because we had mice, because we’re in a garage,” said Yvette Makitao, the food bank’s coordinator. The garage and electricity have been donated; however, the size limits the food bank’s ability to store more food. Sudbury Food Bank faces $300K shortfall The Sudbury Food Bank has a donation shortage of $300,000. “It’s exciting for us to be able to access that amount because with a 50% reduction in food coming into the warehouse, this might be one of the catalysts of ways that we’re going to address the gap,” said Natalie Labbee, the executive director of the Sudbury Food Bank. Labbee continued to say the funding will not fill the gap for food banks. Markstay-Warren mayor-elect Dave Boland added that additional challenges apply for smaller northern communities in food bank accessibility. “When we live in a rural municipality, which is great, the outdoors are wonderful, transportation costs are expensive, and there’s not really any public transport, which means maintaining a vehicle becomes the priority and other things start slipping by the wayside,” said Boland. Six new families registered in one day The Markstay Foodbank said six new families registered for the foodbank the day before Rochefort’s visit. “That’s for families as well and 38-ish of those are for children. So, to take 65 families out of 2,800 people in an area where we only have about 900 individual tax rolls, that’s a huge percentage of the population that is needing help,” added Boland. More supports for low-income workers Rochefort said there are even more supports for individuals. “This year, the government is also introducing a benefit for workers, for low-income workers. So, anyone working part-time or on a seasonal basis where their income is lower, we’ve lowered the threshold,” said Rochefort. The federal budget also outlines increased funding for the Groceries and Essentials Benefit.
