Food Banks Canada is urging federal party leaders to prioritize food insecurity this election, calling for it to be a central topic in the upcoming debates as an increasing number of Canadians now rely on their services.
According to Food Banks Canada, nearly one quarter (23%) of people in Canada currently live with food insecurity.
This prompted the organization to write an open letter requesting campaign commitments from each party to address this growing problem. Other organizations including Feed Nova Scotia, Food Bank Society of the Yukon and PEI Food Banks were signatories of the letter.
“This election is not just about politics; it is about the kind of country we want to be. It is about ensuring that every person in Canada has the opportunity to live with dignity,” wrote Food Banks Canada in a statement.
The organization also launched a petition calling on “all political parties to commit to reduce food insecurity in Canada by 50% by 2030” with a step-by-step plan for achieving this goal included in their platforms.
Canada’s ever-increasing cost of living, overwhelming debt and the effects of inflation have led many Canadians to skip meals outright as a means to mitigate their financial struggles.
“In 2024, food banks reached a somber new milestone with more than 2 million monthly visits, nearly double the rate seen only five short years ago. Over the course of those five years, people in Canada have watched their rent and mortgage costs increase, the cost-of-living skyrocket, all while wages haven’t kept pace,” the organization wrote.
Feed Ontario, the province’s largest collective of hunger-relief organizations also posted a request for this to become a top election issue Tuesday as well.
“More people than ever before need the help of a food bank in Ontario. 1 in 4 food bank visitors has a job, and the rapid growth in food bank use in the province is being spurred in part by a lack of quality jobs and the surging cost of living,” wrote Feed Ontario.
“Canada’s future shouldn’t include hunger. Ensuring that everyone can access enough income to afford the cost of living is just one way the parties could commit to policies that would begin to address food insecurity this federal election.”
Last fall, Food Banks Canada released its HungerCount report, which revealed visits were up 6 per cent from 2023 and up 90 per cent from 2019, with 2,059,636 visits in one month alone.
The steady upward trend in monthly visits increased by 17 per cent in 2021, by 15 per cent in 2022 and by 32 per cent in 2023.
The organization’s CEO Kirstin Beardsley said food banks have been on “the brink” of what they can sustain as demand continues to skyrocket with low-income Canadians seeking immediate help.
“Compared to before the pandemic, there has been a significant increase in two-parent households with children under 18 accessing food banks — from 18.8% in 2019 to nearly 23% in 2024,” reads the report.