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Preamble:
WHEREAS Food Banks Canada supports a network of 10 provincial associations and 5,100 hunger relief organizations from coast to coast to coast, in every province and territory; and
WHEREAS the food banking network acknowledged a need for a set of standards that would create performance benchmarks of a well-run organization, while promoting transparency and accountability to the public; and
WHEREAS Food Banks Canada formed a National Standards Committee, to develop and inform the standards ultimately proposed to Food Bank Canada’s board in 2021. These standards were then piloted to a group of small, medium and large food banks, as well as provincial associations, as a “real world” test and an opportunity to provide feedback, review and refinement; and
WHEREAS Food Banks Canada released their Standards of Excellence in January of 2024 which consist of expectations for all food banks in Canada to complete and receive accreditation by March 2025; and
WHEREAS Indigenous communities and northern food banks are exempt from the Standards of Excellence; and
WHEREAS Food Banks Alberta, a member of Food Banks Canada, has over 100 members and offers programs and assistance to those members such as food sharing programs, the Bulk Food Purchase Subsidy Program, and the Rural Assistance Program; and
WHEREAS there are 69 rural municipalities within Alberta with several food banks among them; and
WHEREAS many of these rural food banks are run by small groups who have neither the volunteers nor resources required to meet the Standards of Excellence; and
WHEREAS failure to comply to the Standards of Excellence results in local food banks losing their membership with both Food Banks Canada and Food Banks Alberta and, as a result, lose access to important resources and programs; and
WHEREAS many local food banks have expressed concern about longevity should memberships to these organizations be suspended;
Operative Clause:
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Rural Municipalities of Alberta advocate the Government of Alberta to add further exemptions to the Standards of Excellence established by Food Banks Canada for small, rural food banks similar to the exemption to northern and Indigenous food banks.
Member Background:
The Food Banks Canada Standards of Excellence includes requirements for members to achieve accreditation including, but not limited to, processes for addressing complaints, risk management plans, and digital inventory management. Our local food banks have expressed concern about the added work this will have for their small volunteer base. These concerns have also been raised with Food Bank Alberta’s regional meeting and include:
There are substantial concerns that the unnecessary red tape of the Standards of Excellence will reduce the viability of our local food banks and result in suspension of valuable services to rural communities. Applying the same exemption received by Indigenous communities and northern food banks towards small rural food banks will help ensure the viability of future services and the longevity of the rural community.
RMA Background:
RMA has no active resolutions directly related to this issue.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
While Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada does not have a direct role in the development of standards by Food Banks Canada, the Department appreciates being made aware of the Rural Municipalities of Alberta’s endorsement of the Resolution, as well as its concerns about the challenges facing smaller and rural food banks regarding potential new requirements.
Food Banks Canada
Food Banks Canada (FBC) is an independent nonprofit and registered charity governed by a board of directors. We are not affiliated with the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta or any other government body. FBC launched the Standards of Excellence in 2023 with the aim of supporting food banks across the country to meet a baseline set of standards. We are supporting food banks to do this with extensive grants, staff support and tools and resources. In recognition of the scope of work required by the standards as well as the pressure food banks are currently facing, we have recently extended the timeline for food banks to meet the standards to 2026. This extension also responds to a number of the issues that have been raised in the resolution you provided. It is our goal to provide every food bank with the support they need to meet standards. We are committed to continuing to work directly with member food banks across the country to resolve the issues raised.
Seniors, Community and Social Services
The Government of Alberta has no role in the Food Banks Canada’s Standards of Excellence, including exemptions. Food Banks Alberta has confirmed that while it will support its members to achieve the Standards of Excellence, it will not require food banks to acquire accreditation to maintain their membership. We encourage Rural Municipalities of Alberta to contact Shawna Bissell, Executive Director, Food Banks Alberta, to discuss any concerns related to the Standards of Excellence.
Development:
Resolution 19-24F calls on the Government of Alberta to advocate for Food Banks Canada to make rural Alberta food banks exempt from Food Banks Canada Standards of Excellence. Rural municipalities are concerned that rural food banks are precariously positioned and that additional requirements pose a significant challenge to their viability and ability to continue supporting food insecure rural Albertan’s.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s response indicates that they are aware of rural municipalities’ concern but cannot act on it directly. The response from Food Banks Canada indicates that they appreciate the work required for some rural food banks to meet the standards they have introduced and that they offer various supports to help rural food banks reach these standards by 2026.
The response from the Minister of Seniors, Community, and Social Services indicates that while they don’t have a role in determining Foodbanks Canada’s Standards of Excellence and are not interested in advocating to them on rural municipalities behalf, they did reach out to Food Banks Alberta. Food Banks Alberta shared that rural food banks will not have to meet Food Banks Canadas’ Standards of Excellence to maintain their Food Banks Alberta membership. Rural Municipalities are welcome to connect with Food Banks Alberta with their concerns.
Responses do not indicate that Food Banks Canada have changed exemptions to their Standards of Excellence. This resolution is assigned a status of Intent Not Met. RMA will continue to advocate on this issue.
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