After Super Grocer burned down, some Steveston seniors say they're struggling with their groceries
CBC
Gerald Lindsay wheels down the sidewalk outside his Steveston home, making the trek towards a Save-on-Foods. Along the way, he has to maneuver his wheelchair over a fire hose strewn across the sidewalk.
Just days ago, his favourite supermarket — Super Grocer — was destroyed in a fire. It's since been demolished.
"It sort of changed my life," he said. "That was the only place I could get to because it was just across the street."
Lindsay is one of many seniors who live by the longstanding supermarket. According to B.C. Housing listings, there are three subsidized and low-income seniors homes within a block's radius of the defunct store, totalling about 200 units.
Lindsay, 76, says many residents relied on its proximity and pricing. He says many of his neighbours have mobility issues and rely on a fixed-income.
Now, their nearest grocery option is Save-on-Foods, which ranges between 500 metres to a kilometre away from the senior homes in the area.
"A lot of them just can't walk three or four blocks down to Save-on," he said. "There are a lot of older people that it will affect."
Lindsay says prices have also raised concerns.
"The meat prices were literally half the price they are at Save-on," he said of Super Grocer. "It will hurt us all because the Save-on prices are like double what they were here, and [the owner] was really good about keeping our costs down."
"When you're on pensions and stuff, pensions matter," he added.
"I'm still thinking about how I, personally, have to plan on going somewhere else, and arranging for a ride ... it's not easy to get a ride somewhere."
Gerald Kaake, who is also in a wheelchair, said traversing bumpy sidewalks to and from the store with a load of groceries has proven difficult over the past week.
"Things rattle off your bags as you're coming home," he said. "That's why I've been rolling down the street."
Kaake says he lives off about $1,000 a month through disability payments and is still trying to figure out how he'll adapt to the circumstances.