Despite an economic downturn contributing to a spike in numbers, the Airdrie Food Bank (AFB) will not be exempt from the new carbon tax when it is implemented in January 2017.
Other food banks around the province – and all provincial charities and non-profits – will similarly be impacted, as the new tax puts a price on all fuels that emit greenhouse gases when combusted.
Usage at the AFB reached record highs in 2015, and as the downturn continues, that trend can be expected to continue. All food banks are shouldering the load for those who were displaced by the Fort McMurray wildfires, and as residents return to that community, the Wood Buffalo Food Bank will require donations in the months to come.
Now is not the time for provincial charities, especially food banks, to be saddled with more costs. While now is the time to battle climate change, the methodology of this government leaves much to be desired. These are tough times in the province, and our charities and non-profits need to be operating at full capacity.
Environment Minister Shannon Phillips said funds raised through the carbon levy will be reinvested into all sectors of the economy, including non-profits, through “targeted investments.”
While we wait for the government to determine exactly what those “targeted investments” are, the question remains – why not exempt these organizations in the first place? Surely these organizations know where to invest their funding better than the government does.
Battling climate change is important, but so is taking care of a struggling populous. Let’s hope we can do both at the same time.
