The Big Story Another record-breaking year...for Canadians that go hungry
Nov 3, 2025
Kirstin Beardsley, CEO of Food Banks Canada, sheds light on Canada's alarming food insecurity crisis, revealing that food bank use has doubled since 2019, with nearly 2.2 million visits monthly. One in five users now has a job, showcasing the broad impact of rising costs. Beardsley discusses the concerning stats for child food insecurity and emphasizes the urgent need for policy reforms, including modernizing EI and introducing a groceries benefit, to combat this unprecedented demand. Her insights call for immediate action to support struggling Canadians.
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Housing Costs Force Food Tradeoffs
- Low-income households spend about 70% of income on housing, far above the 30% affordability benchmark.
- Beardsley summarizes this as 'rent eats food' and forces people to cut groceries first.
Six-Year Doubling Is Unprecedented
- Food bank use doubled in six years, a growth rate unmatched since Food Banks Canada's 1980s start.
- Beardsley says only the 2008 downturn came close, but current growth is steeper and faster.
Provincial Trends Show Uneven Spikes
- Every province has seen increases since 2019, with Alberta, Ontario and Quebec showing triple-digit growth.
- Alberta saw a 22% increase year-over-year, the highest this past year.