Demand at B.C. food banks has risen so far in 2026, which experts say is likely due to the rising cost of living.
Food Banks BC, a provincial association of food banks in the province, told Daily Hive that it saw a five per cent increase in food bank use in the first three months of the year, compared to the same time in 2025.
Dan Huang-Taylor, the organization’s executive director, said while they don’t have any specifics yet on the exact reasons for the uptick, the increase isn’t a surprise due to the high cost of food and housing — the main drivers for food bank use among their clients.
Since 2019, he said they’ve seen about an 80 per cent increase in the number of food bank visits in B.C., with a 50 per cent increase in individual visitors. He said people’s wages are not keeping up with the rising costs of essentials.
At the end of 2025, Food Banks BC published a report, stating that the number of people relying on food banks hit a record high, with over 1.4 million British Columbians experiencing food insecurity.
Huang-Taylor pointed out that the minimum wage in B.C. is currently $17.85 per hour (set to increase to $18.25 per hour on June 1). But in Metro Vancouver, the living wage (the wage a full-time worker must earn to meet basic needs, avoid financial stress, and take part in their community) as of 2025 was $27.85 per hour, due to high housing, food, and child care costs.
He said that one of the biggest trends in demand is people who are working full-time but still need to turn to food banks.
Another challenge is that the increased cost of food also hits food banks’ budgets.
“So, if [food banks are] purchasing dairy products or protein — all of which have seen increases in prices for the most part — they have less funds available to them. This is a further strain on a system that’s serving more people, but with fewer resources available to them — less money, fewer donations. It’s a very difficult time for food banks,” Huang-Taylor said.
Ninety-five per cent of its members have reported drops in donations in food, money, or both.
“This was already a very hard situation, and it’s harder now, and we don’t anticipate that that’s going to change anytime soon,” he said.
Nicole Mucci, the media communications manager at Union Gospel Mission, an organization that gives out emergency food hampers in the Downtown Eastside, said they are also feeling this squeeze.
“A long-time donor may be giving the same amount that they were giving this time last year. But then when you go to purchase the supplies for your organization, you’re not able to get as much for the same amount of money,” she said.
In 2025, Union Gospel Mission saw a 114 per cent increase in demand for its food hampers. Mucci said they are on track to hand out a similar number this year, having given out 2,212 emergency food hampers in January, February, and March.
“It feels like a lot of families are really feeling the squeeze right now. We’re noticing more moms and moms with small kids trying to access their services than ever before. And I think that really does come down to the fact that the cost of living has just increased substantially for folks.”
Both Mucci and Huang-Taylor said that all levels of government need to step up and provide funding for programs that target food insecurity.
“When people are really, really struggling with finding support for food there, they may be going hungry. And the thing is, is that when you go hungry for a long time, you’re not really able to operate at your best,” Mucci said.
Huang-Taylor said it is important that governments address the root cause of food insecurity, “which is essentially poverty. People are unable to purchase the food that they need because they don’t have the resources available to do so.”