"Running out of money": High housing costs forcing millions of Canadians to go hungry

Jun 6 2022, 9:27 pm

Canada’s inflation rate is steadily rising, and millions of Canadians are going hungry due to increasing food costs and other financial burdens.

Newly released data from Food Banks Canada suggests that rising housing costs are also playing a major part in this national struggle.

The data suggests that one-in-five Canadians are going hungry, and 23% of Canadians are eating less “than they think they should” simply because there isn’t enough money for food.

Canada’s food banks are expecting their toughest year in decades.

In a statement, Food Banks Canada’s CEO Kirstin Beardsley suggests that this year will be a demanding one.

“The majority of food banks in every region of Canada are already stretched to their limits, with demand expected to remain high throughout the summer months as more and more Canadians struggle to cope with rising inflation.”

61% of Canadians believe that housing costs are the biggest barrier to being able to afford food. Food Banks Canada says that sentiment has doubled in the past year.

The data shows that one-in-five Canadians reported going hungry at least once between March 2020 and March 2022.  Among Canadians who earn less than $50,000 a year, one-third have reported instances of not having enough money for food in the same period of time.

The data also seems to suggest that this issue is having a disproportionate impact on Black and Indigenous households.

“In the past, people would turn to food banks during times of job loss, or due to lower wages — but over the past six months, Canadians are telling us that they are running out of money for food because of rising housing, gas, energy and food costs,” added Beardsley

If you’d like to help the millions of Canadians going hungry and unable to afford food, you can make a contribution here.

Amir AliAmir Ali

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