Thank you. My name is Rachael Wilson, and I have the privilege of serving as the CEO of the Ottawa Food Bank.
We don't talk about solving hunger at the Ottawa Food Bank. Hunger is solved with a meal. Our network is composed of 112 emergency food programs across the city and deals with the symptoms of poverty every single day. It should come as no surprise to anyone that there are simultaneous health care, affordable housing and food security crises. They are deeply linked. That is why we support comprehensive policies that address the underlying issues of poverty in our country.
Today I am here to discuss the grocery rebate. While any additional money that goes back into the pockets of our clients is crucial, this rebate alone will not bring significant change. It doesn't go far enough. The most a family will receive is $467. To put things into perspective, in Ottawa the cost of maintaining a healthy diet is a staggering $1,088 for a family of four per month, according to the Ottawa Public Health 2022 nutritious food basket.
I listened to my colleagues from the greater Toronto area last night, and they shared the perspective from their community. This is not a big-city problem. There are food banks in every community right across this country. Here in Ottawa, the nation's capital, we are the fifth-largest food bank in the country.
Last year, one in seven households in Ottawa reported experiencing food insecurity, a significant increase from one in 15 just five years ago. This year, we saw an 86% increase in visits since March 2019. These are not just numbers on a spreadsheet. They are families, individuals, seniors and children.
I share these numbers with you, but I wonder what impact they will make. We saw food bank client numbers rise by 28% following the 2018 recession, and those numbers never came back down. The numbers are rising now by 30%. Is that enough people struggling in our country? Of the clients we serve at the Ottawa Food Bank, 37% are children. What number of children is enough? Is it 40%; is it 50%? Does half of our city need to be food insecure before we take any meaningful action? What more needs to happen before we decide to take the necessary steps to ensure that every Canadian has food and a house?
I want you to think about the entire province of British Columbia, around 5.4 million people. Imagine the entire province going without food for days. I want you to think about the health impacts that would have, the loss of productivity and the impact on the economy. What would that mean for children and their learning? That is what is happening right now in our country. There are almost seven million people in Canada who are food insecure. If an entire province were shut down because people were not able to eat, we would declare a crisis immediately. I am confident every effort would be made to support those who were impacted.
If I sound dramatic or over the top, I assure you, I am not. I have worked at the Ottawa Food Bank for seven years and have never had to make the kinds of decisions we are making today about who gets food and who goes without.
I urge you to see this as a non-partisan issue. Food banks in Canada have been around for 40 years. We have seen every type of government come and go, yet food banks remain and continue to fill the gap left by government policy.
What legacy does this government want to leave? The Ottawa Food Bank is ready to partner with you to eliminate food insecurity and poverty in our community by ensuring policies that prioritize the most vulnerable, including the continued investment in the Canada child benefit, the expansion of the Canada workers benefit, a minimum income floor for all Canadians, and a policy that encourages the construction of affordable housing.
As you've heard from my food bank colleagues across the province, our resounding message is clear. Food banks are no longer a stopgap measure. We have been a lifeline in the face of every crisis. Our communities look to us for support and hope in their time of need.
What they need from you are solutions and policies that help everyone thrive. I urge each one of you to consider the voices of those who are most affected by poverty and food insecurity. I urge this committee to recognize the pressing need for income-based systemic solutions to address chronic poverty levels in all of our communities.
Thank you.