A busy local food bank says that rising oil prices are making it more expensive for them to serve their clients.
Seva Food Bank — an initiative of Sikhs Serving Canada —drew attention to the surge in the price of peppers in recent public messages.
“A box of green peppers went from $35 → $75 in weeks,” the organization noted. “Last week alone, we spent $1,200 on just this one item.”
The higher oil prices make transportation costs increase, which is a major cost associated with food distribution. The majority of fruits and vegetables consumed by Canadians comes from other countries and as such is more vulnerable to shocks in the price of oil.
The Daily Bread Food Bank in Toronto serves as a distribution hub for other food banks and has also recently gone public with the challenges it is facing due to rising oil prices.
Seva has two food bank locations in Mississauga. One in Wolfedale and the other in Malton. They state that they support over 17,000 families in the region.
Individuals looking for food support or to make a donation can visit www.sevafoodbank.com.
