'It has gone from a storm to a hurricane': Demand at food banks reach historic levels

As pressure on low-income families continues to increase, food banks across the country have seen demand explode.

A new report from Food Banks Canada shows the need has reached historic levels.

In March of this year, there were 1.5 million visits to food banks across the country. That is a 15 per cent increase from March 2021, and a 35 per cent increase since March 2019 before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The annual report looked at data from more than 4,750 food banks and community organizations.

High inflation and low social assistance rates were cited as reasons for the rise in visits.

Rachael Wilson with the Ottawa Food Bank says the report shows the situation many families are facing to put food on the table.

"Food Banks Canada is saying it has gone from a storm to a hurricane; it absolutely has," Wilson said. "When we look at the cost of living, food costs going up dramatically, and things just not improving after the pandemic for people is really driving people to use a food bank."

Wilson says the national report reflects a local reality.

"We are seeing very similar numbers here. A 15 per cent increase since last year, and even since March we have seen a 12 per cent increase of people accessing food banks in Ottawa.”

Wilson says the face of food banks is also changing in Ottawa.

"We are absolutely seeing a difference in the people that are coming to a food bank. We are seeing lots of families, we are actually seeing lots of people who are employed now who are needing to access food banks," Wilson said. "We still have many people who are on social assistance, the rates are just not keeping pace with the cost of living here in Ottawa. I think people would be surprised to know that it is their neighbours, and it is right across Ottawa that people are needing extra help to access food.”

The hardest hit population included vulnerable residents like seniors. But there was also an increase in children.

About 500,000, about a third of visits, were children, despite children only making up about one fifth of the country’s total population.

Kirstin Beardsley, the CEO of Food Banks Canada, called the numbers "devastating." 

"One point five million people turned to food banks alone in one month in 2022, that is a shocking number," Beardsley says.

"It is shocking not only because it is a big number, but because it is a 35 per cent increase since before the pandemic, so more people than ever before in the history of food banks in this country are relying on our support to put food on the table for themselves and their families.”

What we are seeing is the dual pressure from affordability. We are all seeing that it costs a lot of money to put groceries on the table, rent is expensive. But is also showing that we have a broken social safety net and not enough people are making enough money to go to the grocery store."

The food bank says people received income supports during the pandemic but those have also ended. That combined with high inflation has created unprecedented pressures.

Wilson says the food bank expects another rise in demand between now and December, and again as the holidays arrive.

"We are not seeing any end in sight. We are hoping that the government is going to be proactive and make changes that is going to help families right across the country," Wilson said.

"What we are really asking for is social assistance rates to keep pace with the cost of living, basic income we know makes a significant impact for people, and affordable housing is critical in a city like ours."