Proposed federal grocery rebate causes mixed reaction among Lethbridge organizations

The new federal grocery rebate comes at the same time Lethbridge's food banks are seeing record demand.

LETHBRIDGE -

The federal budget, tabled Tuesday, introduced a new, targeted inflation-relief program to help 11 million low- and modest-income Canadians and families save money on groceries.

However, the new rebate has seen a mixed reaction in Lethbridge.

"While any support is greatly appreciated, we are actually quite disappointed," said Danielle McIntyre, executive director of the Interfaith Food Bank.

"We find that the grocery rebate is not only not sufficient, it also is only a one-time (sum) and doesn't address any of the root causes that are leading to the rise in grocery costs."

The grocery rebate would provide eligible couples with two children up to an extra $467, delivered through the Canada Revenue Agency as soon as possible after the legislation passes.

Single Canadians without children can qualify for an extra $234, while seniors can get an average of $225.

"We actually did a comparison against a food-bank hamper and for a single individual, we offer a food-bank hamper that offers five to seven days worth of groceries," McIntyre said.

"The rebate would provide for two of those hampers – not quite two of those hampers – for single individuals or one hamper for a family of four and that has to last a month."

The new rebate comes at the same time Lethbridge's food banks are seeing record demand.

Overall, the one-time rebate is expected to cost $2.5 billion.

With the rise in food costs, seniors are using programs like Meals on Wheels more than ever before.

Rob Miyashiro, executive director of the Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization, says he's pleased to see the rebate.

"What this extra money will do for seniors in our city is it might allow them or should allow them to purchase more meals," Miyashiro said.

"Some people right now can only afford to purchase three meals a week."

Miyashiro says each meal costs between $7 and $9.

He says the program is serving more than 100 people per day, with more than 27,000 meals provided each year.

"We've only had one increase in prices for Meals on Wheels in six years and now with the cost of groceries going up the way it has been, we're running a really tight line to make Meals on Wheels a program," Miyashiro added.

According to Statistics Canada's latest inflation report, food prices rose 10.6 per cent in February compared to a year ago.