Nonprofits in Newfoundland and Labrador say high gas prices are affecting food security in the province, but some believe expanded and better integrated public transit could be a way to help. .

The president of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, which runs the Carbonear food bank, said she was concerned that people in their 350-kilometre region could not get the food they needed.

“They can’t afford to put gas in their vehicle to come,” Kerri Abbott said.

“By the time they pay their bills or keep the roof over their heads, keep some semblance of heating on, pay their electric bills, they’re down to under $20.”

Abbott said people were just trying to make their food last by having a few cookies and tea for a meal. She said volunteers were working to make more deliveries to help, but the demographics of people accessing food banks had changed.

“It’s 2022 and we’re still struggling with food insecurity,” Abbott said.

“It’s a crisis point.…People who were donors are now people coming to the food bank.”

The “great obstacle” transport to food

Josh Smee, CEO of Food First NL, says people in rural areas often have to travel longer distances to get food and are now spending more to get it.

“There are a lot of people in this province for whom transportation is the biggest barrier to accessing the food they need,” he said.

“For a lot of other people, transportation and the cost of owning a car eats up so much of their budget that it really affects their food.”

However, looking at current options, Smee said he sees potential for current rural transit options to be combined into one large system to help people get around and improve their access to food.

Smee said while the province has a decent network of at least 18 rural transit providers, it’s difficult to find the providers and coordinate with each other. It is possible to use existing providers to create a network to help people travel, he said.

“Have one website that just lets people search for a route through these different providers. And if the providers were in there, you could let people buy tickets on that website,” Smee said.

“It would definitely be a huge asset to the community.”

Myles Russell, a civil engineering technologist and 3D designer, thinks he has an idea to help out in some areas of the northeast Avalon Peninsula.

Russell drew up a series of maps and plans for an extended Metrobus express route system that could stretch from Torbay to Seal Cove.

“There’s a tremendous amount of positive feedback about it,” he said.

“With gas prices high…their gas bills have gone up thousands of dollars a year.”

Taking inspiration from Halifax, Ottawa and Calgary, Russell said he plans to make the bus integration system cover a wide area, as it means different transit authorities could manage area buses, but that the system would still work together in harmony.

“You really need a bus system that has a bunch of local routes that go to a main area,” he said.

“Then use a direct, fast line of speed to where you need to go and at the speed of a car.”

Russell said more infrastructure would be needed, as well as a dedicated transit hub, but it’s a worthwhile investment.

“It helps the whole community to grow. It helps everyone to have development options,” he said.

“Society needs to see buses as something that benefits everyone, not just something that benefits those who can’t afford a car.”

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