'It's really sad': Canned goods must be thrown out after fire at Victoria Mustard Seed
The largest food bank service on southern Vancouver Island is reeling after a fire damaged part of its facility in Victoria, resulting in fresh and canned foods needing to be thrown out.
At least four pallets of canned goods, as well as hygiene products like diapers and toilet paper, have to be thrown away due to smoke impacts caused by the Monday morning fire, according to Mustard Seed director of operations Treska Watson.
A fire at the Mustard Seed in Victoria. (Howie Allan)"We're devastated," she said Thursday. "It's really sad. We serve vulnerable communities."
Watson says it's too early to estimate the value of what's been lost by the fire.
"It's a lot," she said.
The Mustard Seed is still operating out of its parking lot from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday.
"It's a lot for someone to reach a point where they come down and access our services," said Watson. "We just want to make sure that doesn't stop… because it's already hard."
The Mustard Seed says the best way to support it right now is through financial donations on its website.
Watson says she's grateful for the support from the community as well as staff.
"We're so grateful for the overwhelming help and support," she said.
"We have an incredible team and I'm super moved by them."
On Monday, the Victoria Fire Department said the fire started outside the structure but then extended into an entranceway, based on preliminary investigations.
Seventeen firefighters and six apparatuses were deployed to the fire. There were no reports of injuries.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A 'tragedy that can't be measured': North Bay's forever chemical problem is also the rest of Canada's
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Here's what 'the hinge' move is, how to do it correctly
When you're picking something up from the floor or bending over to tie your shoe laces, you're performing "the hinge move," according to movement trainers.
Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
Trump heading to Jersey Shore to rally 'mega crowd' in weekend break from hush money trial
After a long week in court, Donald Trump is heading to the Jersey Shore. And his campaign says he'll be joined by "tens of thousands" of his friends.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.