$99,900 OTF Grant from the Province Helps with Access to Food and Essential Services in Thunder Bay

Funding to help strengthen support for individuals in Thunder Bay who are facing complex barriers.

News Release | March 13th, 2026

Thunder Bay – On Friday, MPP Kevin Holland met with representatives from the Lakehead Social Planning Council to learn more about the work it was able to do thanks to a $99,900 Seed grant from the provincial government’s Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). As a result, the organization was able to launch its Removing Access Barriers to Food and Essential Services, an initiative that has significantly strengthened its ability to support individuals in Thunder Bay who are facing complex and often hidden

barriers to meeting their basic needs.

“Organizations like the Lakehead Social Planning Council play an important role in supporting people in our community who may be facing difficult circumstances,” said Kevin Holland, MPP for Thunder Bay-Atikokan. “This project is helping remove barriers so more residents in Thunder Bay can access food and essential services. Thank you to everyone involved for the work you are doing to help connect people with

the supports they need.”

The initiative focused on individuals who are often isolated, living on low incomes, and experiencing mobility or health challenges that make it difficult to access food and essential services. Through the OTF grant, the Lakehead Social Planning Council was able to move beyond responding to immediate food requests and instead take a more proactive, holistic approach. Staff were able to slow down, ask deeper questions, and identify underlying barriers contributing to food insecurity and service access challenges.

“What this project demonstrated is that when someone calls for food, that’s rarely the whole story,” said Marie Klassen, Executive Director, Lakehead Social Planning Council. “Many individuals were navigating difficult circumstances alone - choosing between paying bills and eating, struggling to carry groceries, unable to attend appointments, or unaware of benefits they qualified for.”

With this support, the group was able to: assist individuals in applying for income and benefit programs; help address urgent utility and housing stability concerns; connect residents to community supports that improved their ability to remain safely housed; and provide enhanced system navigation and one-on-one support. The project also strengthened internal practices by shifting how needs are assessed and addressed - ensuring that responses are more connected, coordinated, and person-centred. The impact of the initiative extends beyond the number of individuals served. It represents a shift from simply meeting an immediate need to supporting people in a way that is more complete, responsive, and human.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Ontario government with a mission to build healthy and vibrant communities across the province. Last year, OTF invested nearly $105 million into 732 community projects and multi-sector partnerships. Projects aim to enhance economic well-being, foster more active lifestyles, support child and youth development, provide spaces for people to come together and connect, and create a more sustainable environment. Visit otf.ca to learn more.