New Brunswick election standoff delays Moncton food bank expansion

As New Brunswickers remain in limbo waiting to see who will become the province’s next leader, the decision is impacting a facility in Moncton that feeds families in need.

The Food Depot Alimentaire has applied for $250,000 in funding from the province to expand its facility because they are running out of space to store food donations. The depot serves as a distribution centre for approximately 60 food banks across the province.

“We are sorta treading water here right now, unfortunately,” said Dale Hicks, the organization’s president.

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Funding decisions are now stalled until it is determined which party will be in power, something that has left the depot running out of time and space.

They may soon have to turn food donations away.

“Now, because of the uncertainty with the election, it is just dragging it out and I suppose there are a lot of organizations impacted by the current status of our political scene,” Hicks said.

“We are just one of them.”

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The facility has been forced to bring in trailers to help house the overflow of food, but they need to expand their cold storage as soon as possible. Hicks says time of the essence.

“If we don’t get it started here within the next month we will probably be putting it off until next spring,” he said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "If we don't get it started here within the next month we will probably be putting it off until next spring," he said.

“We are probably going to get to the point that Food Banks Canada is going to call us, saying ‘we have a tractor trailer coming’… and we are going to say we cannot handle it. Send it somewhere else.”

Hicks is eagerly awaiting the outcome of the election because he says the ongoing delay could end up impacting the community’s most vulnerable.