Food bank use in Canada more than doubles since 2019

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Photo by Jack Boland/Toronto Sun filesCanada’s food banks hit a record 2.35 million monthly visits this year, as many Canadians were forced to choose between food and other basic needs, said Food Banks Canada in a new report.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountThe number of visits is up nearly nine per cent over the past year and a 117 per cent increase since 2019, according to its annual research, which covers over 5,500 food banks and community organizations.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.“[This] is the story of what happens when millions of people are out of options,” said Food Banks Canada chief executive Kirstin Beardsley.SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE: FP West: Energy Insider brings you behind the oilpatch’s closed doors with exclusive insights from insiders every Wednesday morning.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of FP West: Energy Insider will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againBeardsley said Canada’s bleak new reality is that millions of people are making impossible trade-offs every day as they choose between food or rent.In the report, Food Banks Canada said 18 per cent of current food bank clients are employed, compared to just over 12.2 per cent in 2019.Furthermore, 32.5 per cent of food bank clients are children, representing nearly 776,000 monthly visits in 2026. Meanwhile, single-person households remain the most common household type accessing food banks in Canada.Ontario recorded the most food banks monthly visits at 846,724, followed by Quebec at 785,889.The organization said the numbers reflect years of mounting pressure on household finances as rising housing costs, insufficient housing supply, food inflation, economic uncertainty and inadequate income supports eroded Canadians’ financial resilience.Since 2021, food prices have increased by about 30 per cent, housing costs by 28 per cent and transportation costs by nearly 24 per cent.People with the lowest incomes spend on average 60 per cent of their disposable income on housing alone, it said.Food Banks Canada urged the government to double the Canada Workers benefit and raise the income eligibility threshold to at least the poverty line.It also called on the government to remove barriers to the disability tax credit.This advertisement has not loaded yet.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. 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