British ColumbiaLoaves and Fishes Community Food Bank in Nanaimo says, with the holiday season fast approaching, it’s still waiting on $5 million which the federal government promised in December of last year.Federal government promised $5 million in funding to Loaves and Fishes last DecemberClaire Palmer · CBC News · Posted: Dec 11, 2025 7:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 5 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.A volunteer sorts through food at Loaves and Fishes’ warehouse in Nanaimo, B.C. The Vancouver Island-based food bank is asking for the federal government to follow through on a $5 million funding commitment. (Claire Palmer/CBC)One year after the federal government promised $5 million to a Nanaimo, B.C., food bank, organizers say they still haven’t received the money.And if the money doesn’t come through soon, Loaves and Fishes Community Food Bank may have to make cuts to its programs, says executive director Peter Sinclair.The funding, promised last December, will be put towards construction costs for its new warehouse, a project that’s nearing completion.”While this is an investment in infrastructure here in Nanaimo, there will be benefit to the entire coastal community from it,” Sinclair said.Loaves and Fishes moves about $12 million worth of food through its current warehouse each year, Sinclair said. Peter Sinclair is the executive director of Loaves and Fishes, which distributes food all across Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast and even Haida Gwaii. (Claire Palmer/CBC)It distributes food to 44 communities across Vancouver Island, as well as communities as far as the Sunshine Coast and even Haida Gwaii.The City of Nanaimo, the Regional District of Nanaimo and provincial government have already contributed to the project, which will allow the food bank to quadruple its distribution capacity.When the federal government included funding for the project in its fall 2024 economic statement, Sinclair says the food bank took out a construction loan to break ground on the project.With the new warehouse approaching completion, Loaves and Fishes will be staring down a hefty mortgage in the new year if it doesn’t get the federal funding to pay back the loan.Construction on Loaves and Fishes’ new warehouse, which the organization’s executive director estimates would quadruple distribution capacity. (Claire Palmer/CBC)Nanaimo-Ladysmith MP Tamara Kronis has been outspoken on the issue in Ottawa, pushing the federal government to honour its commitment.“Loaves and Fishes was incredibly responsible on this particular file, they were sure that they had the funding commitments that they needed to minimize the borrowing costs that would be needed to be able to run the project,” Kronis said.“I think it was completely reasonable of them to believe that line items in the 2024 fall economic statement were binding, and we were pretty astounded to find out that they aren’t.”A sign at the construction site for the new warehouse says it plans to open in early 2026. (Claire Palmer/CBC)Sinclair says that he’s been in talks with PacifiCan — the dedicated federal economic development agency for British Columbia, which will be administering the funds.He’s optimistic that the funding will come through in the next six to eight weeks, but any wait beyond that will further strain the organization.In a statement, PacifiCan said that while it could not disclose details, it confirmed that it’s been in touch with Loaves and Fishes. Volunteers sort through food at Loaves and Fishes’ old warehouse in Nanaimo, which helps get food to 44 communities across Vancouver Island. (Claire Palmer/CBC)Extra burden during holiday season The federal funding delay has put a strain on what has already been a tight holiday season.In November, after a drop in donations led to a monthly operating deficit of about $35,000, the food bank put out a press release making an urgent call for support. The deficit, it said, means it will be providing families with grocery gift cards based on household size, but without any additional Christmas food hampers – which it had given out last year.Melissa Lavoie with Loaves and Fishes says there’s been a 20 per cent drop in donations year-over-year. (Claire Palmer/CBC)Melissa Lavoie, Loaves and Fishes director of philanthropy and revenue, says there’s been an increase of food bank usage coupled with a 20 per cent drop in year-over-year donations.This, she said, makes the idea of starting the new year with a mortgage daunting.”If the revenue isn’t there to meet the expenses, then you have to really consider some difficult decisions that would include cuts to programming,” Lavoie said.ABOUT THE AUTHORClaire Palmer is a video journalist in Nanaimo. Originally from Ontario, she spent three years in Golden, B.C., before joining CBC. You can contact her at claire.palmer@cbc.ca
Nanaimo food bank wants feds to follow through on $5M funding commitment
