Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): Canada is experiencing unprecedented levels of food insecurity, with food bank visits doubling compared to six years ago. According to new national data, nearly 2.2 million visits were recorded in a single month this year the highest ever reported.
Food Banks Canada attributes the surge in demand to rising inflation, escalating housing costs, and wages that fail to keep pace with living expenses. The organization warns that food banks were never intended to replace the social safety net, and many are now struggling to meet the growing demand.
The report reveals that one-third of all visits are made by children under 18, translating to over 700,000 monthly visits nationwide. Alarmingly, nearly one in five food bank users now rely primarily on employment income, showing that even working Canadians are no longer guaranteed food security.
Nationally, 40% of food bank clients depend on provincial social assistance as their main income source. Many food banks have been forced to purchase food to meet demand, with annual spending more than doubling in just three years.
In Alberta, food bank usage has seen one of the steepest increases in the country. According to Food Banks Canada’s HungerCount Report, Alberta food banks recorded 172,832 visits in March 2024, representing a 92% increase since 2019. More than 35% of those visits were made by children under 18, underscoring the growing impact on young families. The province has received a D-minus rating in Food Banks Canada’s latest Poverty Report Card, citing escalating housing and food costs, combined with stagnant wages and inadequate social assistance. Many food banks across Alberta now report purchasing food in bulk to keep shelves stocked – a costly and unsustainable trend. Local organizations say the crisis is no longer confined to low-income groups. Increasingly, working families, newcomers, and seniors are seeking help to cope with the rising cost of living.
Food Banks Canada is urging the federal government to take decisive steps to cut food insecurity in half by 2030. The organization’s recommendations include:
• Stronger income supports and affordable housing initiatives
• Reforms to Employment Insurance and northern food policies
• Greater protection for low-income workers
As food insecurity reaches unprecedented levels, experts warn that without bold, systemic reform, Canada risks normalizing a crisis that food banks were never meant to solve.
