No quick solutions: soaring inflation driving more Nova Scotians to food banks

First at Five: Going Up The highest inflation rate since January 1991 hits hard for those already having a hard time.

The country's soaring inflation rate appears to be driving more Nova Scotians to provincial food banks, even though the organizations are themselves feeling the pinch.

Feed Nova Scotia's warehouse in Dartmouth distributes more than three million kilograms of food every year; about $1 million per month.

Officials say 17,700 used a food bank last month alone. First time visitors accounted for 3.5 per cent last October, but that's risen significantly.

"In March, the number of new people going for the first time is now 7.5 per cent of the total who are going," said Karen Theriault, the organization's Director of Communications.

"So, we're seeing more people accessing support through food banks and a higher percentage of new, first time people accessing support."

Shocking, but not surprising, given the inflation numbers released Wednesday, confirming rising prices.

Gas prices are fuelling a lot of it, up 39.8 per cent from what we were paying this time last year.

Groceries have been the other big headline, up 8.7 per cent year-over-year, aided by the largest annual increase in dairy and egg prices since February of 1983.

"I think anybody who is already struggling with their grocery bills, and already having to make choices, I think this would be an extremely difficult time for them," said Joanne Ritchie, a Halifax shopper.

"The choices would be a lot less and it would be a much more frustrating shop."

Experts say well-documented Covid-19 issues set the stage for the ongoing situation, but other factors, including the war for Ukraine, are only adding to it.

"It's just horrible, but it's a perfect storm for inflation to work in," said Gerard Giovanetti, a spokesperson for the Atlantic Credit Union System.

In an effort to tame inflation, the Bank of Canada already hiked its central borrowing rate over a week ago, and Giovanetti says gradual increases should do the job, even though it seem counter intuitive to make borrowers pay more for variable mortgages and lines of credit.

"Theoretically, it should encourage people to save, reduce borrowing, reduce spending, which hopefully, will help inflation," he said.

"It's easy to say that, but that doesn't help the price at the grocery store."

And, even at Feed Nova Scotia, $1 million per month doesn't go as far as it used to.

"So, it is all the more reason why we know that we need some really big solutions - bold intervention - particularly from our government to ensure everyone does have an adequate income to meet those daily needs and essentials," said Theriault.