OTTAWA – A report out today suggests more Canadians are relying on food banks.
The report by Food Banks Canada says last March some 863,492 people turned to a food bank.
It says that is a 1.3 per cent increase over March, 2015 and a 28 per cent rise over 2008.
The report found that food banks in eight out of 10 provinces saw increased traffic with the biggest jumps in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and the three territories.
Only Manitoba and Ontario didn’t see increased usage compared to 2015.
Food Banks Canada says the higher usage is driven by short term economic disruption and the failure of government to adequately support people who face tough times.
Its report recommends the Liberal government among other things fast track a poverty reduction strategy and revamp the welfare system in Canada.
The report based its findings on figures from food banks on who received groceries during March.
Food Banks Canada, which supports provincial associations, food banks and food agencies that work at the community level, holds a news conference in Ottawa today to talk about the report.
