Last March, your predecessor announced an investment of $1.1 billion, spread over five years, for the implementation of the community action program. At first glance, this sum seems impressive, but it amounts to an annual increase of approximately $2,500 for the 4,000 beneficiary organizations.
Concretely, for a food security organization in our neighborhood (Chez Émilie Maison d’entraide, for example) distributing more than 3,000 food baskets monthly, this is equivalent to a bonus of $0.83 per food basket. Minister Chantal Rouleau, what can you really buy with $0.83 more to feed a family, in your opinion?
On the eve of the tabling of the budget and in the inflationary context which is ours, we ask you, Mr.me Rouleau, as Minister responsible for Social Solidarity and Community Action, to ensure that the increased funding for the mission of community organizations meets our demands so that people have enough to eat.
According to our estimates, for the Centre-Sud and Faubourg Saint-Laurent neighborhoods alone, organizations need at least $3 million to maintain their food services (food purchases, rental of premises and human resources). This amount was estimated well before the many inflationary surges, which have repercussions in particular on the cost of food. In addition, the announced recession affects populations in precarious situations more. Hence an increase in requests for food aid received by food security organizations.
Clearly insufficient
Victims of recurring underfunding, our community organizations that fight poverty on a daily basis by offering food security services, among other things, can no longer work miracles with so little. Therefore, we ask you to lend yourself to the following exercise: since $0.83 represents very little, how would you invest the increase of $2,500 if you were at the head of a food security organization?
Do you buy some fresh food, the price of which continues to increase to “improve” your food baskets? Are you paying your rising rent so that your organization can continue to offer its services? Are you offering more working hours to your already stretched intervention staff to be able to respond to the growing distress of people? Are you trying to make your staff’s working conditions more competitive in order to ensure the maintenance of your team and the expertise developed within it?
Despite the funding received, our organizations must face these choices and juggle with the $1 million missing to ensure full operation. Know that these offer much more than food. They are often a gateway to other appropriate services to support vulnerable people in their daily lives.
Our funding, supported by the Support Program for Community Organizations and Community Action, still has to match the needs of the populations served. The current social context clearly shows that social issues are far from being resolved and that food security organizations increasingly welcome people with multiple and complex problems. The $2,500 distributed does not in any way cover our needs and restore the power to act to these people.
Last December, you wondered, during an interview on Patrick Lagacé’s radio show, if 1.1 billion for community action was enough. To which you yourself answered: “Maybe not” . We confirm it to you, it is clearly insufficient. Can we count on you, Mr.me Rouleau, so as not to forget the people who benefit from our food services, but also to support us in our missions?