Leader of the Official Opposition Ryan Meili called on the province to match federal support with $1.5 million in emergency funding towards Saskatchewan food banks.
βThis is not a moment for the province to be cheap,β said Meili.
βItβs a moment for the province to invest in people,β he added.
According to a letter sent to the provincial government by the Food Banks of Saskatchewan (FBS), there are 32 food banks across the province which served 37,216 users in 2019. The letter also said the FBS will require additional resources to continue serving the community while protecting staff, volunteers and their clients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The FBS anticipates at least a 25 per cent increase in the number of users as a result of the COVID-19 state of emergency. The letter added most food banks in the province have already seen a five to 15 per cent increase.
βWe have yet to see a single dollar from the Saskatchewan government for food banks. That is part of a larger failure to address the needs of people who find themselves in even more vulnerable situations,β said Meili.
In Regina and Melfort, the demand has gone up 40 to 50 per cent. The FBS said their goal is to raise $6 million of which they have already raised $2 million.
The federal government has put aside $50 million in funding for food banks across Canada. Saskatchewan is to receive around $1.5 million. Meili and FBS brought up numbers received from other provincial governments in hopes of the government seeing the benefit of additional funds.
Alberta gave $60 million for agencies providing frontline services to vulnerable people. B.C. gave $3 million in emergency funding for food banks, Newfoundland gave $500,000, Nova Scotia $1 million, Prince Edward Island $500,000 and Quebec $2 million.
According to the letter sent by the FBS, they sent a request for a contribution in March and have had no response.
βCommit to the $1.5 million for Saskatchewan food banks and then work with those on the front lines to make sure that all of the needs are being met, and the province is doing everything they can to make sure people who are struggling are able to get through this,β said Meili.
The province of Saskatchewan currently has 305 cases of COVID-19. Of the 305 cases 219 have recovered, seven are receiving hospital care and four have died.
