Food bank visits in Canada reach record 2.35 million as cost-of-living crisis deepens

TORONTO— Food bank usage across Canada has reached another record high, with more than 2.35 million visits recorded in March 2026, reflecting the growing financial hardship facing Canadian households despite continued government efforts to address affordability.

Figures released Wednesday by Food Banks Canada in its annual HungerCount 2026 report show an 8.7 per cent increase in visits compared with the previous year and a staggering 117 per cent rise since 2019.

Children accounted for approximately 776,000 visits, representing nearly one-third of the total. The report also reveals that 18 per cent of food bank clients are employed, compared with 12.2 per cent in 2019, highlighting the increasing number of working Canadians who cannot afford basic necessities.

Housing costs remain a major contributor to food insecurity. Approximately 72 per cent of food bank clients live in market-rent housing, while Canadians in the lowest income brackets spend an average of 60 per cent of their disposable income on housing.

The report further notes that since 2021, food prices have increased by approximately 30 per cent, housing costs by 28 per cent and transportation costs by nearly 24 per cent.

Food Banks Canada CEO Kirstin Beardsley warned that millions of Canadians are increasingly forced to choose between essential expenses, including rent, groceries and other necessities.

The growing demand has also placed enormous pressure on charitable organizations, with approximately one in five food banks reporting that they run out of food before meeting the needs of everyone seeking assistance.

Food Banks Canada is urging the federal government to introduce significant economic reforms, including modernizing Employment Insurance, doubling the Canada Workers Benefit and expanding affordable housing and food distribution infrastructure.

The findings come just two weeks before Ottawa’s November 5 federal budget, placing renewed pressure on the Carney government to demonstrate that its affordability policies can provide meaningful relief to Canadians struggling with the rising cost of living.