Austin Kehmeier on Unsplash
Kerr Street Mission
As many Oakville residents grapple with ever-increasing food prices, the federal government started sending out grocery rebates for low-income and vulnerable Canadians. But as we are learning from Kerr Street Mission, many of those facing food insecurity have full-time jobs.
This targeted inflation relief for vulnerable Canadians provides eligible couples with two children up to an extra $467; single Canadians without children up to an additional $234; and seniors with an extra $225, on average.
Grocery rebate eligibility criteria
- A single mother with one child and $30,000 in net income will receive $386.50 in addition to the $821 she will receive this benefit year through the GST Credit.
- A single senior with $20,000 in net income will receive $233.50 in addition to the $496 he will receive this benefit year through the GST Credit.
- A couple with two children and $35,000 in net income will receive $467, in addition to the $992, they will receive this benefit year through the GST Credit.
- To receive the grocery rebate, prospective recipients must have filed their 2021 tax return.
One of the contributing factors to low-income earners' food insecurity is the ever-increasing interest rates spurred on by the Bank of Canada, which increased its lending rate by a quarter point to 5 per cent. Consumer Price Index (CPI) Total fell to 2.8 per cent in June; however, the Bank of Canada is watching the three other CPI indicators to determine if it should continue raising rates. They are CPI-trim, CPI-median and CPI-common. The CPI Total is most often reported.
As of June 2023 CPIs
- Common stood at 5.1% and peaked in Nov. 2022 at 6.5%
- Median stood at 3.9% and peaked in June 2022 at 5.4%
- Trim stood at 3.7% and peaked in June 2022 at 5.6%
- Total stood at 2.8% and peaked in June 2022 at 8.1%
Kerr Street Mission is one organization that feeds and cares for hundreds of food-insecure Oakville residents. Their Executive Director Gary O'Neill shared the following:
"Kerr Street Mission continues to see an increase in the number of people depending on our food programs. Since January of this year, the number of people receiving food through our food market each week has increased by more than 200 people.
"A significant percentage of the additional people are employed. In the past, they either found a way to manage or only came once a month. Now they need to come every week.
"We have also had an increase in the number of seniors that are struggling because of the amount of debt they have accumulated. The increased cost of food has meant they cut out healthy food items they should be eating or they borrow money to cover bills.
"So we say thank you to the federal government for the grocery rebate. It is very much appreciated and definitely needed.
"We just wonder - is it enough?"
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