Monthly food bank use in Canada soars to record 2 million: report

Canada’s reliance connected food banks has soared to a grim caller milestone, according to information from Food Banks Canada.

The enactment says it recorded much than 2 cardinal visits successful March 2024 – astir treble the monthly visits 5 years agone successful March 2019, and six per cent supra past year’s record-breaking figure.

Its yearly survey of nutrient slope usage successful Canada says accelerated inflation, lodging costs and insufficient societal supports are driving poverty and nutrient insecurity.

That includes outsized request from renters, racialized groups, radical with disabilities, newcomers to Canada and residents crossed the North, and a “deeply concerning” request among seniors and families with children.

Food Banks Canada CEO Kirstin Beardsley says nutrient banks are being pushed to “the brink” and low-income Canadians request assistance immediately.

The study calls connected governments to present measures that see rent assistance and a monthly outgo to low-income groups to assistance off-set rent and nutrient costs.

“HungerCount 2024,” released Monday, says determination were 2,059,636 visits to nutrient banks crossed Canada successful March 2024 — up six per cent from 2023 and 90 per cent from 2019.

It says one-third of nutrient slope clients were children — a inclination that’s held dependable but successful 2024 totalled astir 700,000 monthly visits — portion astir one-in-five clients, oregon 18 per cent, were employed. Nearly 70 per cent lived successful marketplace rent housing.

One urgent proposal is “a groceries and essentials benefit,” which Beardsley said could beryllium achieved by rejigging the existing quarterly GST recognition that goes to low-income Canadians.

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“But we’re asking for it to beryllium accrued and made monthly truthful that it tin beryllium a much predictable outgo to folks who are truly successful need,” said Beardsley.

“It’s truly to offset those indispensable costs, the increases successful rents that radical are seeing, the increases successful outgo of essentials similar food.”

In 2019, HungerCount recorded 1,086,280 monthly visits. There was nary study successful 2020 and monthly visits roseate by 17 per cent to 1,272,580 successful 2021, by 15 per cent to 1,465,721 successful 2022 and by 32 per cent to 1,935,911 successful 2023.

Although involvement rates person dropped and ostentation is slowing, Beardsley said that economical alleviation inactive depends connected prices coming down and wages growing.

“People request wealth successful their pockets today,” she said.