Inflation is rising in Canada, and Toronto is not untouched by it. The record-high inflation has led to an increase in food banks' use, and some are even running out of daily supplies. Read on to know more about how inflation rates are affecting food bank usage in Toronto.
Rising Pressure on Food Banks
When asked about the current situation,
Julie LeJeune, the Fort York Food Bank executive director, said, "Our
shelves are bare again. After serving 95 people today, I have one can of beans
left and no pasta sauce." All that happened in just three hours.
In March 2019, food banks in Toronto had
60,000 client visits. In March 2022, the number has climbed to 160,000, according
to Neil Hetherington, CEO of Toronto's Daily Bread Food Bank. In March this
year, 5,700 people used the food banks for the first time in Toronto.
He said, "The new faces that are
coming to food banks are people who have jobs, they are working hard." He
added that half of the people using the food banks have post-secondary
education. Hetherington also mentioned that the recent rise in inflation had
increased the affordability problems, especially as the ending of pandemic
support programs is rising.
He also mentioned that The Daily Bread Food
Bank sends 80,000 pounds of food to local food banks daily. This number is
three times more than before the pandemic. He stated, "We've had to
proactively increase the amount of food so that they don't run out of
shortages."
The high housing costs and the ending of
pandemic support programs have already meant that individuals and families rely
on food banks to survive. The recent increase in gas and food prices has worsened
the situation for such families and individuals.
New Record
According to reliable data, inflation in
Canada reached the highest point since 1991 and jumped to 6.7% in March. Supply
chain issues and the Russia-Ukraine
war have led to a sharp rise in grocery prices. They have risen by 8.7 %
this March as compared to 2021.
Will It Impact the Future of Canadians?
If the food prices keep rising, more people
will experience food insecurity. As a result, food banks might become exhausted
as the demand they face rises quickly. People who have lower incomes might face
more hardship. Grocery theft might also rise as people who can't afford food
might steal it if they don't get any help from a food bank.
How Can the Food Insecurity Problem be
Solved?
One of the solutions in the current
situation is to increase the basic income of Toronto people. Though Ontario has
recently increased the minimum wage to CAD 15 an hour, and it will become CAD
15.50 in October, it's not enough. The Stop food bank stated that a living wage
in Toronto is $22.08 per hour.
A guaranteed annual income or basic income
can also help ensure that all Canadians have sufficient income to afford the
necessities.
Sources:
https://torontoobserver.ca/2022/04/22/food-banks-toronto/
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2022/04/28/record-inflation-fuels-increase-in-use-of-toronto-food-banks.html
https://woodzog.com/rising-inflation-fuels-toronto-food-bank-use/