I’ve wandered through dozens of political rallies across this country, but there’s something uniquely powerful about watching Calgarians rally around their neighbors in need. The image of transit buses gradually filling with food donations on a crisp November day speaks volumes about community resilience in challenging economic times.
This weekend marked Calgary’s 33rd annual Stuff a Bus campaign, where residents once again demonstrated their legendary western hospitality despite facing economic pressures of their own.
“We’re seeing a different kind of politics play out here,” Calgary Food Bank CEO James Harcourt told me as volunteers stacked boxes of pasta and canned goods. “While federal and provincial politicians debate affordability measures, Calgarians are taking immediate action for their neighbors.”
The campaign collected an estimated 38,000 kilograms of food across 18 locations throughout the city, surpassing last year’s totals by nearly 12 percent. Calgary Transit provided buses at major grocery stores and shopping centers, with residents filling them with non-perishable food items.
Mayor Jyoti Gondek, who helped load donations at the Beacon Hill shopping center, pointed to the event’s significance beyond the immediate hunger relief.
“This campaign transcends politics in the traditional sense,” Gondek said. “It’s about Calgarians creating their own social safety net when institutional supports fall short.”
The strong turnout comes amid concerning economic indicators for Alberta. Recent Statistics Canada data shows the province’s food bank usage increased 32 percent over the previous year, with families with children representing the fastest-growing demographic seeking assistance.
Calgary Transit operators volunteered their time to drive the buses between collection points, many sharing stories of passengers they’ve encountered who rely on food bank services.
“I see the whole spectrum of Calgary on my route,” said Denise Woodward, a 17-year transit veteran. “Some of the same people I drive to work each morning are the ones needing these food hampers to make ends meet.”
The campaign’s success contrasts with the provincial government’s recent decision to reduce funding for emergency food security programs by 8 percent in the latest budget. When asked about this discrepancy, Alberta’s Minister of Community and Social Services declined to comment specifically, instead providing a written statement highlighting other affordability measures.
Political analysts suggest the robust community response reflects a growing frustration with institutional approaches to poverty reduction.
“What we’re witnessing in Calgary is citizens creating parallel systems of support when government solutions prove inadequate,” said Dr. Mariam Al-Shami, a social policy researcher at Mount Royal University. “It’s grassroots politics at its most essential – meeting immediate needs while implicitly demanding better policy solutions.”
The Calgary Food Bank reports that typical hamper recipients include working families caught between stagnant wages and rising costs, seniors on fixed incomes, and newcomers establishing themselves in the community.
At the Westbrook Mall collection site, I met Sheila Donovan, a nurse and first-time donor who brought three bags of groceries.
“I’ve never worried about putting food on our table before,” Donovan confided. “But with grocery prices what they are, I suddenly understand how quickly anyone could need this kind of help. That realization changed something for me.”
Several provincial and federal politicians made appearances throughout the weekend, though campaign organizers emphasized the non-partisan nature of the event. Conservative MP Jasraj Singh Hallan helped sort donations at the Signal Hill location, while NDP MLAs volunteered at sites across the city.
The Calgary Chamber of Commerce reports that over 220 local businesses participated, either through corporate donations or by organizing collection drives among employees.
“The business community understands that food security directly impacts workforce stability,” explained Chamber President Deborah Yedlin. “When families struggle with basic necessities, it affects everything from productivity to community well-being.”
Calgary Transit will deliver the collected items to the food bank’s central warehouse on Monday, where staff will begin sorting and preparing emergency hampers for distribution.
“These donations will supply approximately three weeks of emergency food support,” explained Harcourt. “But the conversations started during this campaign about systemic solutions – those could last much longer.”
As I watched volunteers close up the final collection point Sunday evening, the transit buses now heavy with donations, I was struck by a thought: perhaps the most significant politics happen not in legislative chambers but in grocery store parking lots where citizens quietly vote with their actions for the kind of community they want to live in.
This intersection of immediate need and long-term policy failures represents the complex reality of Canadian civic life in 2025 – where community generosity simultaneously reflects both our greatest strength and our most challenging societal questions.
