'Unprecedented growth' in Canadian food banks prompts calls for it to be a top federal election issue
CBC
Demand for the services of local food banks has never been higher, and Carolyn McLeod-McCarthy of the Guelph Food Bank says she's worried about the impact U.S. tariffs will have on the local economy and workers.
"We're quite nervous about what that's going to mean for being able to provide food to people in need," McLeod-McCarthy told CBC News.
She said the southern Ontario food bank is seeing more people needing help than ever before.
"The word unprecedented gets used a lot and that's exactly what's happening: unprecedented growth," McLeod-McCarthy said.
Food bank officials and advocates say they want leaders and candidates to make pledges to end food insecurity a top priority during the federal election campaign.
Over the last year, they've seen an additional 1,000 people seek assistance. She said being able to help them all is becoming more of a challenge.
She noted that when workers at the Cargill meat-processing plant in the city went on strike in May and June 2024, 200 workers came to the food bank for help.
McLeod-McCarthy said they're worried about larger companies having to halt production or lay people off, and being able to help people.
Emily McDonald works for a non-profit in Guelph. During a recent voter panel on CBC K-W's The Morning Edition, she told host Craig Norris she's deeply concerned about what could happen if a company like Linamar had to lay people off, similar to what has happened at the General Motors CAMI Assembly plant in Ingersoll.
Guelph is home to Linamar, one of Canada's largest supplier to car plants in North America.
"We've already seen a demand for services increased since the pandemic, especially usage among food banks," McDonald said.
"Having the tariffs be such a huge impact on the manufacturing sector, I worry about having a strong social safety net to make sure that, for folks who are facing layoffs, that they don't have to worry about putting food on their tables, they don't have to worry about being able to keep their housing and then paying for bills. It's a huge concern."
Jim Jarrell, CEO and president of Linamar, said that for now, the company is in a good position because the most recent round of U.S. tariffs don't impact auto parts.
But on May 3, that could change. A new set of tariffs could take effect that week.

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