Alberta food bank visits surge 134% since 2019 as cost of living bites

There's no better time than right now to help your local food banks by donating, volunteering, or advocating.

Tamara Lich
  |   May 25, 2026   |   News Analysis   |   3 Comments

After performing my community service at our local food bank — and now volunteering three times a week — I was shocked at the high volume of clients showing up just to feed their families.

My observations led me to a deep dive into the details of the ever-increasing food bank usage in Canada, and specifically here in Alberta.

As it turns out, Alberta is facing a whopping 134% increase in food bank visits since 2019 — more than double pre-pandemic levels. 

The incredible economic challenges, such as a rapidly increasing cost of living, stagnation in wages as opposed to inflation and the Canadian housing crisis, are just a sampling of the challenges Albertans face, forcing them to head to our food banks just to get by. 

Even more surprising is the increased usage by two-parent families and those listing employment as their primary source of income. This growing demographic signals that food bank usage isn't just for the unemployed and recipients of social assistance any longer.

There's no better time than right now to help your local food banks by donating, volunteering, or advocating.

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Tamara Lich

After becoming a central figure in the 2022 Freedom Convoy protests in Ottawa, Tamara Lich emerged as one of the most recognizable voices challenging Canada's pandemic response. As the federal government invoked the Emergencies Act, Lich found herself at the centre of a national debate over civil liberties and government power. She is also the author of the bestselling book Hold The Line: My Story From The Heart of The Freedom Convoy. Now reporting for Rebel News, she covers politics, government actions, and grassroots movements across Canada.

https://www.theconvoybook.com/

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  • Fran g
    commented 2026-05-31 18:00:41 -0400
    Another reason why certain people should be deported. I believe strongly we need ICE here.
  • Bernhard Jatzeck
    commented 2026-05-25 22:05:46 -0400
    How many of those visits were actually legitimate? There have been videos made by certain people that have been circulating for the past while in which they brag about where they could get “free food”, implying that those who donated to food banks were suckers.
  • Bruce Atchison
    commented 2026-05-25 19:41:43 -0400
    Liberals gas light us by saying the economy has never been better. But more and more families and seniors find they can’t afford to buy food like they once did. How long will the elbozos keep believing the lies Carney and his gang tell them?