Achi news desk-
ETHBRIDGE, ALTA. –
Alberta received a D grade on Food Bank Canada’s annual poverty report card – a mark that didn’t come as a surprise to many organizations in Lethbridge.
With the need for food and assistance increasing in the last few years and with no end in sight, those at Interfaith Food Bank have been preparing for an increase in demand.
“We’ve seen this storm coming for years,” said Danielle McIntyre, executive director of the Lethbridge Interfaith Food Bank.
“We knew during the pandemic that we were living in a bit of a false economy with a lot of the income support that was available and since that support dried up, we’ve known and been experiencing tremendous growth year on year, every month. -over the month.”
In its latest annual poverty report, Food Banks Canada lowered Alberta’s grade from D to D-.
The report says that around half of people nationally – or 44 per cent – feel worse off financially compared to last year.
“We’re seeing a lot more homeowners, four times as many people accessing the food bank being employed than what we saw in 2022 and the situation is dire,” said McIntyre. “It’s hard for people to give when there’s no money coming in.”
In Alberta, the report shows that almost 45 percent of people pay more than 30 percent of their income on housing.
Among people receiving government assistance, 47 percent say rates are insufficient to keep up with the cost of living.
“A plan would be wonderful,” McIntyre said. “We haven’t had a poverty reduction strategy in Alberta since 2019 and not only was it insufficient, we didn’t meet any of the targets and there is no plan for the future.”
“We need to have some goals and targets to reach in order to be able to measure any progress. It’s really about accountability and planning.”
The national report recommends that the government adopt the strategy.
He would also like to see the temporary rental assistance benefit expanded to all Albertans waiting for affordable housing.
“Things like improving the minimum wage and social assistance programs, reducing income tax for low income earners would certainly make a difference in people’s economic lives,” said Jaci Zalesak, executive director of United Way Lethbridge and southwestern Alberta.
She says the cost of living is the driving factor in the growing need for help.
McIntyre and Zalesak both want to see support and plans put in place now as it will take time to see results.
“The cost of living doesn’t just change overnight because the ripple effects go along with that,” Zalesak said. “So whether it’s food or paying rent or fuel, those kinds of things, it certainly has a ripple effect and it takes a long time for people to get out of poverty.”
Seven out of 10 provinces received a D grade, and only Nova Scotia and PEI improved on their 2023 grades.
