Food bank head says help in budgets falls short

Over the past year, Laurie O’Connor has seen more people turning to the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre, partly due to inflation squeezing people’s finances.

Optimism that the budgets released this month by the provincial and federal governments would make difference against escalating grocery bills quickly faded for O’Connor, the food bank’s executive director.

(File photo/650 CKOM)

“I’d say we were pretty disappointed,” O’Connor told the 650 CKOM Morning show on Thursday.

Speaking about the budget from the Scott Moe government, O’Connor called the increase for people on social assistance a “meager” one.

“I don’t know how much a a dollar per day for folks living on assistance rates will make for them,” she said. “We’re pretty concerned about those folks being able to pay their rent and feed their families.”

O’Connor was more pleased with the one-time grocery rebate announced in Tuesday’s federal budget, as it will target low-income earners. However, while the help is welcome, she said the measure will not help struggling families in the long run.

She said governments need to take a hard look at their strategy for helping society’s most vulnerable.

“We were never meant to be the supplement for a poor social safety net,” O’Connor said.

“We really do look to the government for leadership around how folks can manage the increased cost due to inflation and the carbon tax. All those factors are out of the control of social service agencies.”

Food banks are receiving pressure from all directions, O’Connor said. The Saskatoon Food Bank faces higher operating costs, and she said she knows donors are having to consider how much they are able to give.

“The people of Saskatoon have been incredibly generous to this organization and others, but it shouldn’t just be on the backs of the folks who are willing to step up and support,” O’Connor said.