Food Banks Canada is calling on the federal government to introduce a Groceries and Essentials Benefit to help Canadians struggling with day-to-day essential costs.
The recommendation was made in a newly released report that paints a bleak picture of Canadians and their financial situation.
According to new polling results, 35% of Canadians say they feel worse off financially than they did three months ago.
BREAKING: a new poll conducted by Pollara shows that 35% of people in Canada feel worse off financially than they did 3 months ago.
This bleak data echoes recent research from StatsCan indicating that 23% of people are worried about needing a food bank in the next 6 months. pic.twitter.com/d5Logi4zvB
— Food Banks Canada | Banques alimentaires Canada (@foodbankscanada) August 22, 2024
This, along with recent Statistics Canada data that found nearly half (45%) of Canadians reported rising costs were “greatly affecting” their ability to meet day-to-day expenses, emphasizes the “urgent need for action from all levels of government,” stated Food Banks CEO Kirstin Beardsley, in a press release.
People outside the food bank in Toronto. (Mostofa Mohiuddin/Shutterstcok)
“The food banking network was never meant to be able to support a quarter of people in Canada. It is a frightening scenario laid out by StatsCan, for so many people struggling to make ends meet, one that needs urgent attention from governments across the country.”
Food Banks Canada said that its locations across the country see nearly two million visits every month, and over 600,000 of those are by children who rely on food bank services to meet basic needs.
Other reports have also emphasized how the high costs of essentials have pushed many Canadians to the edge.
A survey conducted by the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University earlier this year found that over half of respondents (58%) said they were “more inclined” to eat food past its best-before dates because of high grocery prices.
It doesn’t help that food costs continue to add up.
Canada’s Food Price Report 2024 crunched the numbers and found that the average Canadian family of four is expected to spend $16,297.20 on food in 2024, an increase of up to $701.79 from last year.
What is a Groceries and Essentials Benefit?
Food Banks Canada says the Groceries and Essentials Benefit would aim to help struggling Canadians afford essential costs like food and shelter.
“It focuses on low-income families, directly aiding those hit hardest by food insecurity and poverty,” added the organization.
It noted that the benefit would be easy to implement because its structure already exists via the GST/HST credit, which could be adjusted.
Food Banks Canada is urging Canadians to send a message via its website to their MPs about why the Groceries and Essentials Benefit should be implemented.
“As more and more Canadians face unprecedented levels of financial hardship, food banks are desperately trying to keep up with skyrocketing demand. This is not sustainable,” said Beardsley.
“Food banks alone are not the solution to addressing poverty in Canada. We need urgent intervention from all levels of government to help address and reverse the trend of increasing hunger and food insecurity in Canada.”