Canadian food bank use hits 2.3 million monthly visits due to grocery costs: report
Nearly 776,000 visits were made by children this year, with one in five facilities reporting insufficient food supplies to meet demand, according to the report.
- Released today, the 2026 HungerCount report from Food Banks Canada reveals B.C. food bank visits have doubled since 2019, while national monthly visits reached a record of more than 2.3 million in March 2026.
- Cost-of-Living pressures are driving this surge, as food prices have increased 30 per cent since 2021, while housing costs rose 28 per cent and transportation expenses grew by nearly 24 per cent.
- More than a third of this year's food bank visits, or nearly 776,000, were made by children, and Food Banks Canada reported that 18 per cent of food bank clients are currently employed.
- Food Banks Canada CEO Kirstin Beardsley stated people are "running out of options," noting that many former donors are now seeking services as a job no longer ensures food security.
- To address the crisis, the organization recommends investing up to $500 million toward food bank infrastructure and doubling the Canada Workers Benefit to support struggling Canadians.
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More Canadians are visiting food banks than ever, with monthly visits hitting record high
Canadians continue to struggle with the high cost of living, with monthly food bank visits up nearly nine per cent this year compared to last. According to Food Banks Canada’s annual HungerCount report, food bank visits have soared to 2.35 million per month in 2026, a 117 per cent increase from 2019.
B.C. food bank use has increased by a shocking amount since 2019
B.C. food bank visits have gone up by 100 per cent since 2019. Food Banks Canada just released Canada’s 2026 HungerCount, revealing that monthly food bank visits in B.C. went up by 14 per cent between 2025 and 2026. In 2026, there were just over 250,000 visits to B.C. food banks, with nearly 76,000 of those being from children. Canada-wide, food bank use has gone up by 117 per cent since 2019. Since 2025, it has risen by 8.7 per cent nationally.…
Canadian food bank use hits 2.3 million monthly visits due to grocery costs, report finds
A new report from Food Banks Canada says the number of Canadians struggling with food insecurity continues to grow, as food bank visits hit a new record of more than 2.3 million in March. The non-profit organization’s latest HungerCount report, released today, says the cost-of-living crisis and economic pressures are weighing heavily on nearly 10 […]
Rocky Mountain Outlook
Canadian food bank use hits 2.3 million monthly visits due to grocery costs: report
A new report from Food Banks Canada says the number of Canadians struggling with food insecurity continues to grow, as food bank visits hit a new record of more than 2.3 million in March.
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