Demand for food banks surging across Canada and here in the capital

As the cost of living continues to rise, a new report shows food banks across the country are experiencing overwhelming demand.

The number of visits hit the highest total since data was first collected more than 30 years ago.

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In the nation's capital, the situation is dire.

"This is the highest numbers we have ever seen; it is unprecedented," said Rachael Wilson, Ottawa Food Bank CEO. "The last time that we saw a spike was in the 2008 recession and this well outpaced that."

Volunteers keep busy preparing food packages to keep up with the high demand from 112 agencies within the community.

"We are seeing about a 22 per cent increase over last year and our total visits for the year are over 490,000," said Wilson.

A new report from Food Banks Canada reveals the problem is nationwide. There were nearly two million visits to food banks across Canada in March, up 32 per cent from last year.

One third of food bank users are children, representing more than 600,000 food bank visits in March 2023.

The survey finds the main reasons for using a food bank are the cost of food, housing costs, and low wages.

Food Banks Canada is calling on the federal government to react to the severity of the cost of living crisis and implement new policies that guarantee those who work will always have enough money to put food on the table.