HUNGER IN CANADA


The face of hunger is real and it’s very close to home.

Your neighbour, a work colleague, a friend, someone in your family; hunger isn’t an issue reserved solely for strangers or the homeless. Food insecurity can be found even within our closest circles and more often than not, these people go by quietly unnoticed.

HUNGER CAN HIT ANYONE AT ANY TIME

There can be a stigma attached to poverty, yet more than half of Canadians are less than a paycheque away from dire financial circumstances1. An illness, accident, job loss, or dangerous family situation can push anyone over the edge and into the position of having to use a food bank.

Number of Visits (HC)

There was a total of
1,935,911 visits
to food banks across Canada in March 2023 – up 32%

Children

33% of food banks users in Canada are children, while only representing 20% of the population

Singles

43.8% of food banks users in Canada are single adult households, while representing 29.3% of the population

Seniors

Seniors represent 8%
of Canadian food banks users, with the rate of increase far outpacing other age groups.

Social Assistance

42.4% of Canadian food banks users are on social assistance or disability-related supports as their main source of income

Employed

1 in 6 of those accessing food banks in Canada are employed

Sue
Doug
Maryam