Earlier this week, the Good Neighbours Care Centre (Sherbrooke Food Bank) management informed the Trent Central Student Association (TCSA) that those who access their services must present an OHIP card. This new requirement restricts the use of the food bank for international students and newcomers to Canada.
The TCSA opposes the decision to refuse service for international students by the Good Neighbours Care Centre. International students already face xenophobia, racism, and discrimination within the Peterborough job and housing markets, therefore leading to a greater risk of food insecurity.
The choice to restrict community members' access depending on their citizenship limits access for more than just international students. It portrays a narrative that only Canadian Peterborough residents deserve access to food security. Access to food should be understood as a right, mainly by food banks. Regardless of where you come from, everyone deserves access to nourishment. International students face unique hardships, such as paying 3.5 times the tuition fees that domestic students do, on top of additional restrictions brought on by immigration instabilities. Simply put, this decision separates international students from the general Peterborough population, and the message sent to international students is that they are not a part of this community.
Barring international students from food banks is not just a matter of access to free food; it touches on equity, social justice, and well-being. We recommend exploring alternative measures that ensure the pantry remains accessible to all individuals, regardless of their immigration status or possession of an OHIP card.
The TCSA is meeting with Trent International and Trent stakeholders to further discuss food security and food sovereignty for its membership. The TCSA calls on the Good Neighbours Care Centre to re-evaluate its newest policy to ensure the pantry remains accessible to all individuals, regardless of their immigration status or possession of an OHIP card.
Signed,
The TCSA Executive Team