Vancouver food bank feeling demand as Food Banks Canada reports doubling of users

Latest data on food bank use in Canada Demand has doubled at the country’s food banks, and the surge is being acutely felt in Metro Vancouver.

More people than ever before are turning to food banks in Canada for help.

More than two million Canadians used a food bank in March of this year, compared to one million users in March of 2018, according to the Hunger Count report by Food Banks Canada.

One-third of those people are users, while many others who use a food bank are employed.

"People who are employed who might not be able to keep up with the rising cost of living because their purchasing power of that income has been decreasing so substantially,” said Richard Matern, the Director of Research with Food Banks Canada.

He calls demand “unprecedented”, in a society with surging grocery and home prices affecting nearly every Canadian.

The report is calling for a groceries and essentials tax benefit, modernizing EI and ensuring all federal benefits are linked to inflation.

“What British Columbia is seeing is what we’re seeing similar across the country,” he said. “I don’t think anyone could predict this rapid increase in such a short amount of time.”

The growing demand is felt daily at the Greater Vancouver Food Bank.

Six years ago the organization had 6,500 clients, but today they have 15,000 people registered, according to David Long, the CEO of Greater Vancouver Food Bank.

The numbers are staggering, we are seeing massive increase in demand to the amount of food we give out,"

Their clients range from young families to seniors on fixed income who can’t keep up with inflation, including retired teachers and nurses, he says.

"We are seeing a lot more people that are full time employed, especially in Vancouver. They have a job but they just can't make ends meet by the time they pay for their rent, their lodging, their vehicle. they pay their insurance."

The Hunger Count found 30 per cent of food banks are reportedly running out of food. The situation, however, looks more positive in Vancouver .

"The public are incredibly generous, and our donors are amazing. We're able to keep up with demand, so we are very, very fortunate,” said Matern.