By the Numbers: Food bank use rising in Canada’s major cities

Toronto – November 29, 2018 – Food banks were established over 30 years ago as a short-term solution to addressing hunger in Canada. Three decades later, hundreds of thousands of families turn to food banks each month as a means of putting food on the table, according to Food Banks Canada. As well, food bank use is on the rise in major cities across the country. Below is a statistical breakdown of food banks and hunger in Canada.

From coast to coast, food bank use is rising in Canada’s major cities. For example:

The rise in food bank use can largely be attributed to the fact that 13 percent of Canadians currently live in a state of food insecurity, which means they lack reliable access to adequate amounts of safe, high quality, and nutritious food. The root cause of hunger in Canada is low income, which consistently affects more than four million of us at any given time.

As the food worker’s union, UFCW Canada believes the best way to fight food insecurity is to ensure that all workers – including agricultural workers – have the right to join a union and the ability to negotiate higher wages and living standards. We also believe the federal government should establish a strong National Food Policy that promotes food security and ensures Canadians have access to high quality, protein rich, safe food. To learn more about UFCW Canada’s advocacy on food security and other food justice issues, click here.

Sources: “Hunger in Canada,” Food Banks Canada; 2018 Beyond Food Revisited, Edmonton’s Food Bank; Who's Hungry Report, Daily Bread Food Bank; Ottawa Hunger Report 2017, Ottawa Food Bank; 2017 & 2018 Reports to the Community, Feed Nova Scotia; 2017 & 2016 Hunger Counts, Moisson Montreal; 2016-2017 & 2015-2016 Annual Reports, Winnipeg Harvest; 2018 Community Report, Greater Vancouver Food Bank; Hunger in Quebec, Food Banks of Quebec; 2017-2018 & 2012-2013 Annual Reports, Calgary Food Bank.