Finance committee  It opened in November 2013.

Finance committee  We understood that there was food insecurity, but the other thing was that when I went to the central food distribution place in the Peterborough area—which was actually located in Peterborough—they showed me a map, and there were food support systems all around the whole county of Peterborough, except in the Otonabee-South Monaghan Township.

Finance committee  Yes, it is.

Finance committee  One idea is the guaranteed livable income. That would basically be an income floor for people in Canada. Another idea is for governments to work together on initiatives like the Canada disability benefit. As it's being rolled out, if Ontario decides to claw back its Ontario disability support program, saying it's all covered at the federal level, people on disability are not going to be any further ahead.

Finance committee  Yes, it is. We have 100% volunteer staff and committee. There are no paid people.

Finance committee  Okay. Between last year's November and this year's February, the number of children that we started with was 19 and it ended up at 37. It may seem like small numbers to big cities, but for our rural municipality it was substantial. We had the greatest number of families that we've ever experienced, 40, back in February, and before COVID we had 15 or 16.

Finance committee  Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman and members of the Standing Committee on Finance. I am honoured to be here to speak to you on the issue of affordability from the perspective of people who are living in poverty, such as the families served by the Otonabee-South Monaghan Food Cupboard, also known as the OSM Food Cupboard.