A new report says reliance on food banks and other food charities is expected to increase by 60 per cent in 2023, following a 134 per cent growth of food program dependency in 2022.
More than 1,300 Canadian food charity organizations were surveyed at the end of 2022, in order to determine what’s expected of future food insecurity in specific communities. The survey was conducted by Second Harvest, Canada’s largest food rescue organization, which aimed to examine the anticipated need for food charity in the new year.
“It is a new year, but there is no resolution in sight for Canada’s food insecurity problem,” said Lori Nikkel, CEO of Second Harvest, in a press release. “The end of COVID supports, food inflation and flat wages are all contributing to increased reliance on food charity. Without systemic change, food insecurity will only get worse in Canada.”
According to the report, non-profits that completed the survey anticipated a total budget shortfall of $94 million to meet next year's demand. This averages $70,000 per organization.
“In the short-term, [non-profits] need financial support because surging demand is outpacing supply,” said Suman Roy, CEO of the Scarborough Food Security Initiative, in the release. She also mentioned that since the pandemic, the amount of non-profits in Canada increased by 214 per cent, with another 60 per cent expected in 2023.
The survey also reported that 39 per cent of organizations will require 50 per cent or more perishable food next year to meet rising demands, with 44 per cent of food programs saying they will need 50 percent or more non-perishable food next year. Up to 70 per cent of surveyed organizations said they need both food – whether it’s perishable or not – and funding to be adequately equipped for the year.
According to the latest consumer price index report released Wednesday, Statistics Canada reported that inflation had slowed to 6.8 per cent in November, but these declines were offset by grocery prices, which rose 11.4 per cent year over year in November. This is up from 11 per cent in October.
A food price report from Dalhousie University projected that grocery costs are expected to rise up to seven per cent more in 2023, with the average family of four having an annual food expenditure of more than $16,000. On top of that, the high cost of housing and gas have added to the inflation storm, making it exceedingly difficult for Canadians to afford food on their plates.
“Access to food is a human right, not a privilege,” Nikkel said. “More charitable food programs will not decrease food insecurity in Canada. More food charity is only treating the problem, not finding a solution. In the long-term, individuals need government support like income regulation that’s indexed to inflation and solutions for affordable housing so that non-profit food programs are not needed in the first place.”
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
“I killed four people,” alleged serial killer Jeremy Skibicki told two homicide detectives during a recorded interview played as evidence in his trial Wednesday.
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Millions of eligible B.C. drivers will receive a rebate before the end of July, ICBC's CEO announced Wednesday.
Police in Victoria say a cyclist who allegedly spat into the open window of a passing car last month has surrendered at police headquarters.
The head of London Drugs is apologizing to customers after all the retailer's stores in Western Canada were shuttered last month by a cybersecurity breach that remains under investigation.
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Calgary police have charged a man with the sexual assault of a woman he met at a downtown club.
A commissionaire contracted by the Calgary Police Service (CPS) was charged with assault following an alleged incident with an arrestee at a police facility over the weekend.
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
The Ottawa Police Service has laid charges against an Ottawa man, including for attempted murder, in connection with an alleged arson of an Overbrook apartment building last week.
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Travis Green, 53, is the new head coach of the Ottawa Senators.
The Quebec Bar's judicial clinic says it will start offering more free housing consultations to people in need ahead of the July 1 moving day.
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Quebec’s education minister is now considering banning cell phones everywhere in schools, not just in the classroom, as is currently the case.
Three Edmonton Catholic schools were put on alert Wednesday morning because a man followed a student into school.
Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says carbon capture technology is not too expensive or ineffective.
Canadian Utilities Ltd., a subsidiary of Calgary-based holding company ATCO Ltd., says it plans to build a new natural gas pipeline in Alberta to supply a massive net-zero petrochemical project being built northeast of Edmonton.
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has named a new minister of environment and climate change nearly three weeks after the previous one resigned from the post over political disagreements.
A pilot project to test and evaluate the operation of federally-approved three-wheeled vehicles on Nova Scotia roads starts next week.
Two people from Summerside, P.E.I., have been charged with drug trafficking after police say fentanyl was seized from a vehicle travelling over the Confederation Bridge Tuesday morning.
“I killed four people,” alleged serial killer Jeremy Skibicki told two homicide detectives during a recorded interview played as evidence in his trial Wednesday.
A grieving mother is hosting a helmet drive in the hopes of protecting children on Manitoba First Nations from a similar tragedy that killed her daughter.
Get your gear ready – camping season has officially arrived in Manitoba.
Premier Scott Moe and his team of officials had the largest travel bill for the most recent six month reporting period – earning scorn from the Official Opposition.
Voting is open for Saskatchewan teachers Wednesday and Thursday as they decide whether or not to accept a contract offer from the provincial government, dubbed their 'final offer.'
The Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) has released more details surrounding a woman's death that occurred following an interaction with Swift Current RCMP over the weekend.
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 people have been arrested and a combined 348 charges have been laid in connection with a series of child exploitation investigations that spanned across the province.
It happened on Sparling Street in Seaforth. The road is closed between Market Street and John Street.
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray is facing a hefty fine, but avoided suspension, after the NBA said he threw objects onto the court.
Tara Jo Kadlec has been advocating for better care for her brother Cory for years.
One of three accused in the killing of a Saskatoon man 18 years ago has pleaded not guilty.
They call it sudden death overtime for a reason, and game seven of the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) east final between the Saskatoon Blades and Moose Jaw Warriors delivered just that.
A province-wide child sexual abuse investigation by Ontario Provincial Police dubbed Project Aquatic has resulted in hundreds of charges, including seven male suspects from northern Ontario.
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Ontario Provincial Police say they have laid hundreds of charges against 64 people, including two from London, in a series of investigations into child sexual abuse.
It happened on Sparling Street in Seaforth. The road is closed between Market Street and John Street.
When it comes to air shows in North America, the Forest City is the top of its class, according to the results of a recent contest.
An emotional Cassie Korzenko walked into the Barrie Courthouse Wednesday morning with family members by her side ahead of a sentencing hearing.
A young driver faces a stunt driving charge for allegedly speeding 80 kilometres over the posted limit in North Simcoe.
Casino Rama Resort is amping up its 2024 entertainment lineup with three new rock performances, promising fans a nostalgic journey.
Windsor police say the death was not suspicious after a body was found near an east Windsor mall.
Windsor police are asking for the public’s help after a shirtless man was caught on a security camera allegedly breaking into a downtown home and stealing several items.
A Wallaceburg woman is charged after police were called for a weapons investigation on Tuesday. Around 3:05 p.m. officers responded to Reaume Avenue in Wallaceburg where they found a woman with "serious puncture injuries."
Millions of eligible B.C. drivers will receive a rebate before the end of July, ICBC's CEO announced Wednesday.
Police in Victoria say a cyclist who allegedly spat into the open window of a passing car last month has surrendered at police headquarters.
The head of London Drugs is apologizing to customers after all the retailer's stores in Western Canada were shuttered last month by a cybersecurity breach that remains under investigation.
Images of steelhead and trout flicker over long sheets of paper, brought to life in blue and green crayon rubbings by the thousands.
A man was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after a shooting in Kamloops Monday evening, the fourth incident police say is part of an ongoing drug conflict playing out on the city's streets.
Models in uniquely designed red dresses are taking to the runway in British Columbia this weekend to make a powerful fashion statement about missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people.
A lane closure was announced by the City of Lethbridge Wednesday.
Lethbridge police are asking for public assistance to help them locate a man wanted on a number of outstanding warrants.
As of Tuesday afternoon, between 21 and 31 millimetres of rain had fallen in the Lethbridge region since Monday evening.
A vicious retaliation punch in a soccer game five years ago in the Sault was aggravated assault, an appeals court has confirmed.
A province-wide child sexual abuse investigation by Ontario Provincial Police dubbed Project Aquatic has resulted in hundreds of charges, including seven male suspects from northern Ontario.
Sault Ste. Marie police are asking people to avoid the Queen Street East area Wednesday as firefighters battle a blaze downtown.
The trial of a Newfoundland lawyer accused of sexual assault ended Tuesday with his defence team alleging the complainant lied under oath, while the prosecution said her memory lapses were understandable.
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.
The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary says an officer convicted in 2021 of raping a woman while on duty is no longer with the force.
A grieving mother is hosting a helmet drive in the hopes of protecting children on Manitoba First Nations from a similar tragedy that killed her daughter.
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
A P.E.I. lighthouse and a New Brunswick river are being honoured in a Canada Post series.
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Whether passionate about Poirot or hungry for Holmes, Winnipeg mystery obsessives have had a local haunt for over 30 years in which to search out their latest page-turners.
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.
Alberta Ballet's double-bill production of 'Der Wolf' and 'The Rite of Spring' marks not only its final show of the season, but the last production for twin sisters Alexandra and Jennifer Gibson.
A mother goose and her goslings caused a bit of a traffic jam on a busy stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway near Vancouver Saturday.
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
An immigration lawyer in Toronto says new figures from the federal government show just how 'grudging' Ottawa's efforts have been to rescue Canadians' family members from the war in the Gaza Strip.
Canadian immigrants threatened by hostile regimes are urging parliamentarians to quickly pass the 'Countering Foreign Interference Act' so they can feel safe living in their adopted home.
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
A first-of-its-kind Canadian research study is working towards a major medical breakthrough for a brain disorder, believed to be caused by repeated head injuries, that can only be detected after death.
European countries have reported a surge in whooping cough cases in 2023 and the first quarter of 2024, with 10 times as many identified as in each of the previous two years.
Apple is hoping its latest iPad lineup will breathe new life into its sluggish tablet market. In a pre-recorded live streamed event from its Cupertino, California headquarters, the company introduced the latest versions of its iPad Pro and iPad Air tablets, and an all-new Apple Pencil Pro.
Looking for a new little friend to curl up in your lap and purr contentedly? Before you head to the shelter, take heed – not all cat breeds are in it for the long haul.
Scientists studying the sperm whales that live around the Caribbean island of Dominica have described for the first time the basic elements of how they might be talking to each other, in an effort that could one day help better protect them.
Toronto police are seeking help from the public as they continue to investigate a shooting that seriously injured a security guard outside rapper Drake's mansion.
Nine of the 10 wrongful death lawsuits filed after deadly crowd surge at the 2021 Astroworld festival have been settled, including one that was set to go to trial this week, an attorney said Wednesday.
Spanish state prosecutors recommended Wednesday that an investigating judge shelve a probe into another alleged case of tax fraud by pop star Shakira.
The head of London Drugs is apologizing to customers after all the retailer's stores in Western Canada were shuttered last month by a cybersecurity breach that remains under investigation.
Air Canada ranks below most other major North American airlines on customer satisfaction, with airfares a particular sore point, according to a new survey.
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
A P.E.I. lighthouse and a New Brunswick river are being honoured in a Canada Post series.
For the past 12 years, Krista Richard has been delivering bikes to people in the Greater Moncton area free of charge.
Vancouver won't be hosting a public viewing party for Wednesday night's game, the mayor announced at an early morning news conference.
The Montreal Canadiens retained the fifth pick in the upcoming NHL lottery draft on Tuesday night.
Rick Tocchet doesn't mind the fact that his Vancouver Canucks aren't favoured to win against their next playoff opponent.
A pilot project to test and evaluate the operation of federally-approved three-wheeled vehicles on Nova Scotia roads starts next week.
The federal Liberals are trying to crack down on a scourge of auto thefts across the country, even as the government is struggling to keep its own vehicles away from thieves, new data show.
Ford is set to recall some pickup trucks in Canada due to potential tail light failure.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
