Significant human rights challenges reported in Cranbrook, B.C.

Food. It’s a basic human right, but something that many people in Cranbrook struggled to afford as the cost of living continues to climb. Food bank usage has increased by 15% in Canada, so we know it’s an issue that many Canadians are facing. In Cranbrook we see a 58% increase. Very significantly higher than even the increase that we see across the rest of the country. The increase, according to the report and testimonials from clients, is due to the rising cost of groceries, housing and living expenses. The Cranbrook Food Bank has increased its daily supply of hampers from around 30 to 100. We are in the midst of a cost of living crisis, The two things that we all need food and shelter, and those are the two costs that keep on increasing. The report suggests that more people would likely access the food bank if it weren’t for stigma. So we really need to have those open, honest conversations breakdown those stigmas, because at the end of the day. We have to make sure people are fed. The report shows that health care is hard to come by in Cranbrook, and a lack of suitable housing has contributed to Cranbrook’s difficulty attracting skilled workers, including healthcare professionals. It is an issue we hear about across the province, but again, hearing hearing about it in this context unfortunately didn’t surprise me. About one in seven tenant households in Cranbrook live in some form of subsidized housing, but there’s not enough available to meet the needs. The commissioner hopes the report will change that by providing more agency to organisations like the Food Bank to advocate for themselves. We want to empower people living in the four communities that we looked at in a deep way and give back to the communities who shared so much with us about their experiences. What we’re really hoping comes from it is change. Policy change is really what we’re wanting. Rose hopes that the report will shed light on food insecurity on a provincial and federal level as more and more people struggle with the basic need. More information from the Baseline Project is expected to be released this summer. Corey Bullock, CBC News, Cranbrook.