17.53°C Vancouver

Oct 28, 2024 3:46 PM - The Canadian Press

Monthly food bank use soars to record 2 million, driven by cost of groceries, housing

Share On
monthly-food-bank-use-soars-to-record-2-million-driven-by-cost-of-groceries-housing
Its annual survey of food bank use in Canada says rapid inflation, housing costs and insufficient social supports are driving poverty and food insecurity.(Photo: The Canadian Press)

Canada’s reliance on food banks has soared to a grim new milestone, according to data from Food Banks Canada.

The organization says it recorded more than two million visits in March 2024 – nearly double the monthly visits five years ago in March 2019, and six per cent above last year's record-breaking figure.

Its annual survey of food bank use in Canada says rapid inflation, housing costs and insufficient social supports are driving poverty and food insecurity.

That includes outsized demand from renters, racialized groups, people with disabilities, newcomers to Canada and residents across the North, and a "deeply concerning" need among seniors and families with children.

Food Banks Canada CEO Kirstin Beardsley says food banks are being pushed to “the brink” and low-income Canadians need help immediately.

The report calls on governments to introduce measures that include rent assistance and a monthly payment to low-income groups to help off-set rent and food costs.

“HungerCount 2024,” released Monday, says there were 2,059,636 visits to food banks across Canada in March 2024 — up six per cent from 2023 and 90 per cent from 2019.

It says one-third of food bank clients were children — a trend that's held steady but in 2024 totalled nearly 700,000 monthly visits while nearly one-in-five clients, or 18 per cent, were employed. Nearly 70 per cent lived in market rent housing.

One urgent recommendation is "a groceries and essentials benefit,” which Beardsley said could be achieved by rejigging the existing quarterly GST credit that goes to low-income Canadians.

“But we're asking for it to be increased and made monthly so that it can be a more predictable payment to folks who are really in need,” said Beardsley.

“It's really to offset those essential costs, the increases in rents that people are seeing, the increases in cost of essentials like food.”

In 2019, HungerCount recorded 1,086,280 monthly visits. There was no report in 2020 and monthly visits rose by 17 per cent to 1,272,580 in 2021, by 15 per cent to 1,465,721 in 2022 and by 32 per cent to 1,935,911 in 2023.

Although interest rates have dropped and inflation is slowing, Beardsley said that economic relief still depends on prices coming down and wages growing.

“People need money in their pockets today," she said.

Latest news

many-participate-in-the-3x3-basketball-championship-in-richmond
BCAug 26, 2025

Many participate in the 3X3 Basketball championship in Richmond

This past weekend, the Misl Hoops annual basketball tournament was held in Richmond on Saturday. Many players had arrived at the Richmond Olympic Oval to participate in the tournament, and the players were seen participating in exciting 3X3 competitions. The tournament featured competitions in Under-16, Under-18, and Men's Open and all age categories for women. Along with the competitions, some fun and interesting activities were also arranged in the outdoor area of ​​the plaza and vendors had also set up some stalls. Mehtab Gill, one of the tournament organizers, said that the tourname
wrestling-championship-organized-to-celebrate-indias-independence-day-in-surrey
BCAug 26, 2025

Wrestling championship organized to celebrate India's Independence day in Surrey

A wrestling championship was organized to celebrate India's Independence Day at the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir in Surrey on Sunday. Like the previous years, many wrestlers participated in the competition on this occasion. The competition saw good wrestling skills in both the men's and women's categories. The wrestling matches started at around 8.30 in the morning. Sucha Mann, a renowned wrestling coach from the area, said that the competition was a hit like every year and the players put in good effort and impressed everyone. He said that national and international level wrestlers not only part
shots-fired-at-sidhu-travel-ltd-in-surrey
BCAug 25, 2025

Shots fired at Sidhu Travel Ltd. in Surrey

Police are investigating after shots were fired at the Sidhu Travel Ltd office in York Centre, Surrey, early Tuesday morning. The Connect FM team visited the scene shortly after noon and observed the entrance door shattered, with police markers placed near the storefront. At the scene, the glass of the entrance door to the Sidhu Travel office was seen shattered. Surrey Police confirmed that they had received information about an attempted break-in or mischief at the business at approximately 9.30 this morning. Police arrived at the scene and investigated, finding that shots had been fired a
leblanc-set-to-meet-lutnick-in-washington-after-ottawa-drops-some-tariffs
CanadaAug 25, 2025

LeBlanc set to meet Lutnick in Washington after Ottawa drops some tariffs

Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc is set to meet with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in Washington this week after Ottawa announced it would be lifting some retaliatory tariffs. LeBlanc's office says he will travel to the United States capital on Tuesday. Prime Minister Mark Carney announced last Friday that Canada will drop some retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products to match American tariff exemptions for goods covered under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement on trade, called CUSMA. Canada's counter-tariffs on steel, aluminum and automobiles will remain. LeBlanc has sai
BCAug 25, 2025

North Vancouver RCMP is investigating an early morning shooting at a residence in North Vancouver

On August 24, 2025, police were alerted by a homeowner in the 900 block of Tollcross Road who reported hearing a loud bang and subsequently discovering bullet holes. North Vancouver RCMP frontline officers attended the scene and located evidence indicating that shots had been fired at the residence. Witnesses reported hearing shots fired at approximately 4:00 a.m. The residence was occupied at the time, fortunately, no one was injured.“This is an unsettling incident that understandably causes concern in the community,” said Corporal Mansoor Sahak, Media Relations Officer for the North Vanc

Related News