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(THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette)
GROCERY REBATE

‘Not enough’: Food Banks respond to federal grocery rebate

Jul 5, 2023 | 4:00 PM

The federal government’s new grocery rebate is in the accounts of millions of Canadians as of Wednesday, but many feel it is nowhere near enough.

The payment was promised in the spring budget to help Canadians cope with food inflation.

The Canada Revenue Agency said approximately 11 million Canadians will receive the additional money alongside the regular GST credit payment.

Couples with two children can expect to receive up to an extra $467, single Canadians without children can expect up to an additional $234 and seniors can receive an extra $225 on average.

While that may bring some relief to those struggling with grocery costs, some food banks said it does little to help those struggling.

“It’s not helping the problem is just a Band-Aid in my opinion,” said Ellen Zuck, secretary of the board at the Melfort Food Bank, who added that something needs to be done to bring grocery costs down.

“I think it’s nice for the moment and it’ll be good for people today and tomorrow to stock up, but then what are you going to do next month?”

In Prince Albert, Kim Scrubee, the executive director of the local Food Bank agrees that more needs to be done to help those struggling to make ends meet.

“It’s going to help a lot of people in the short term, you know, for this week or so, but we’ll see about after,” he said. “They’re (government) talking about inflation coming down. It doesn’t seem like it to me.”

Meanwhile, Sylvain Charlebois, a professor of Food Policy Studies at Dalhousie University said bringing grocery prices down might not be the goal of the rebate.

He said he is supportive of a guaranteed minimum income in Canada, as the economy continues to change, as well as a national program along the lines of food stamps, where families are ensured food through the program rather than given money to apply to any bill.

With files from The Canadian Press and 650 CKOM