The Pulse
July 25, 2022

Food insecurity is again on the rise in Edmonton, and now providers and people in need are without the government supports that helped them cope with demand during the pandemic.

"We hear from any agency we work with that demand is up, and they're asking for more," said Cory Rianson, executive director of the Leftovers Foundation, an organization that connects agencies and donors to redirect food and prevent food waste. "We have agencies waiting in every city we're in, so we have by far more requests for food than we are able to manage. And that only seems to be going up."

Tamisan Bencz-Knight, manager of strategic relationships and partnerships for Edmonton's Food Bank, said that she has also noticed more requests for assistance since the spring, but said it was unclear yet whether this would be a blip or a longer trend.

The rate of food inflation is the highest it has been since Edmonton's Food Bank opened 41 years ago. On average, Canadians are now paying 9.8% more for groceries than they did last year, with inflation, shortages, supply-chain issues, and retail markups that some have called "profiteering" all hitting consumers.

"The cost of food is rising to levels not seen in generations, and this means that more people in our community are being stretched to consider whether to pay their rent or heating bill, or buy food," Michael Capus, chairperson of Edmonton's Food Bank, said in the organization's annual report.

During the pandemic, food banks received additional funding from the federal government and the province to assist with increased demand. The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) program kept many out-of-work Canadians from ever having to use a food bank. Those grants and supports have now dried up, but the need for them hasn't gone away.

"We're still seeing relatively high demand and high need in community because we have moved on to the inflationary pressures right now. But even outside of those inflationary pressures, the economic damage of COVID still exists," said Rianson, who also sits on the board of Food Banks Alberta and was previously the executive director of a food bank. "And I think (for) people who were precariously employed, or struggling, or who took on debt, or whose financial situation was affected through COVID, there aren't those same supports because the consensus is the emergency is gone. But you have the lasting ramifications of that event."

• Pope Francis arrived in Edmonton on July 24, pushed in a wheelchair and flanked by Gov. Gen. Mary Simon and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Treaty 6 Grand Chief George Arcand Jr. was the first to greet the Pope. "I asked the Pope to walk with us in this new journey," he said. Pope Francis will visit the former Ermineskin Indian Residential School in Maskwacis on July 25 where he is expected to deliver his first public statement in Canada, including an apology to Indigenous people. Road closures and parking restrictions are in effect throughout the city for the duration of the papal visit.
• Coun. Aaron Paquette, the first Métis and Cree city councillor in Edmonton, will serve as deputy mayor for the papal visit and will formally greet Pope Francis. "This is a pivotal moment in Canada's history, especially in Edmonton's history," Paquette told Global News. "To be a part of it is both humbling and empowering, not for me but for the voices that have never been heard before."
• Edmonton runner Marco Arop won a bronze medal in the 800 metres at the World Athletics Championships on July 23, becoming just the second Canadian man in history to medal in the event. "That was awesome, definitely worth the struggles, the ups and downs. All great; I'm grateful for every part of it. To come out with a bronze medal is amazing," he told CBC Sports.
• The City of Edmonton has officially named the intersection at 104 Street and Whyte Avenue as Pride Corner, complete with a rainbow-coloured sign. The city first recognized the site as Pride Corner in May, following a petition that garnered more than 10,000 signatures.
• Ridership on Edmonton Transit hit 84% of 2019 levels during the week of July 11, continuing a gradual increase that began in January. "We expect to continue to see an upward trajectory over the coming months and are performing well in comparison to ridership recovery in other major urban centres in Canada," ETS spokesperson Daniel Vriend told Postmedia.
• The Edmonton International Airport announced that German leisure airline Condor will begin non-stop service from Frankfurt to Edmonton in May 2023. The route will fly on Tuesdays and Fridays throughout the summer.
• Danielle Paradis is the new Edmonton-based western reporter for APTN News. See her stories here.
• Premier Jason Kenney said he will ask the Competition Bureau of Canada to investigate "potential gasoline price-fixing" in Alberta. Over the past 10 days, Alberta's gas prices have remained higher than expected given the 13¢ per litre provincial fuel tax cut. "Albertans deserve to know if this is going on," Kenney said.

Pope Francis will be in the Edmonton area until he departs for Quebec City on July 27 to continue his pastoral visit. This week also offers chances to nosh in Churchill Square, at K-Days, or in your own kitchen, as well as some opportunities to build your business.

• July 25-29: Taste of Edmonton at Sir Winston Churchill Square (continues until July 31)
• July 25-28: Civic events related to papal visit and reconciliation
• July 26: Papal Mass at Commonwealth Stadium
• July 26, 6pm: Summer in Greece: Shrimp with Orzo & Roasted Pepper Feta Dip with Kathryn Joel at Get Cooking
• July 27, 10:30am: Monthly Community Coffee at Startup Edmonton
• July 27, 1pm: Amazon Brand Registry: How to Build and Protect Your Brand from the Business Link
• July 28, 1pm: Level Up Series: Email Marketing from the Business Link
• July 28: BaconFestYEG at K-Days

Find even more listings in Taproot's weekly roundups.

Photo: Taste of Edmonton has returned to Churchill Square, with restaurant booths, food trucks, and performances. (Mack Male/Flickr)