The Government of Alberta recently announced that starting February 1st, 2020, food banks are now legally allowed to prepare, cook and serve food on-site, provided they have the necessary facilities and equipment.

This effectively lifts the barrier for food banks to host soup kitchens, or even make pre-made meals for clients.

Deputy Director of the Red Deer Food Bank Alice Kolisnyk says they never planned on turning their food bank into a soup kitchen, but these new looser regulations will help them serve their community in new ways.

“Not necessarily a soup kitchen but we do have plans to do renovations for a commercial kitchen for teaching purposes and social enterprises and that sort of thing, so this will just add to that.”

Kolisnyk says some people who use the food banks sometimes lack the knowledge to prepare more than basic foods, so these classes, which they want to eventually host on-site, will go a long way in helping people make the most out of the food bank.

“Some people don’t have that knowledge to make more than say a can of soup or the minute rice or that sort of thing… we’d rather be teaching people how to make casseroles so they can take that knowledge home and do it in their household…this is great news.”

The UCP government also announced new rules for bed and breakfasts, which will allow food to be served there at any time, instead of just breakfast.