Exploding demand! Why Canada’s food banks can’t keep up
Food banks across the country have reached their limit to provide help to the community in need. Poverty is increasing and demands are skyrocketing. While some food banks need to refuse new users, some international students have been promoting the food bank as a way to get free food to save money.
Recently, some food banks have had to ban international students from accessing their services due to a surge in requests for assistance from this group, even though they are required to demonstrate self-sufficiency prior to arriving in Canada. Some international students have even advertised Canadian food banks online as places to obtain free food. With rising poverty levels among Canadians, resources are becoming increasingly limited.
Today, food banks are facing unprecedented demand. Mission West Island’s Executive Director, Suzanne Scarrow, describes the situation as a “state of emergency.” The non-profit, which serves families across the West Island, has reached its limit, registering nearly 400 families and now unable to accept more for holiday aid. "We’re going into Christmas, and our numbers are too high. We simply cannot accommodate," she stated.
Demand has surged, especially among single seniors on fixed incomes. “We have 35% of our database as single seniors. They can’t pay rent, buy food, or afford necessary medications,” Scarrow explains, describing a heartbreaking reality driven by inflation and housing costs. "It’s not about food, it’s about how you got here—housing, inflation; groceries are spiraling out of control for everyone," she added.
Rising immigration and asylum seekers compound the strain on food banks, which struggle to meet demand. “If we let in more newcomers, we won’t have the capacity. We already serve 1,000 people a month,” said Sandra Watson, re-integration specialist at the Mission West Island, stressing that food banks are not equipped for the influx. Misuse of services is another concern. "We had to take five families off our list recently; they were accessing food three times a week across different banks," Suzanne Scarrow disclosed.
Scarrow emphasized the broader crisis, noting, “We’re seeing mental health impacts from COVID, inflation, and poverty.” She calls for caps on essential costs, adding, "People are barely hanging on. A bag of groceries costs over $100, and it just doesn’t make sense.”
Alexandra Lavoie
Quebec based Journalist
Alexa graduated with a degree in biology from Laval University. Throughout her many travels, she has seen political instability as well as corruption. While she witnessed social disorder on a daily basis, she has always been a defender of society’s most vulnerable. She’s been around the world several times, and now joins Rebel News to shed light on today’s biggest stories.
