First-time food bank users up 20 per cent in Ontario
The number of first-time food bank users in Ontario has increased by 20 per cent since last year, according to a new report.
The latest numbers released by the Ontario Association of Food Banks show that the number of households accessing food banks for the very first time went up from about 14,200 in 2013 to nearly 17,200 in March 2014.
The overall number of adults and children who visited an Ontario food bank changed only by about a thousand, from 375,814 in March 2013 to 374,698 a year later.
The jump in first-time users indicates that Ontarians are still struggling with unstable employment, low wages and the rising cost of food, hydro and transportation, OAFB says in its report.
At the Ottawa Food Bank, the number of new users has increased by 34 per cent since last year.
“We’ve seen a pretty sharp increase,” said executive director Michael Maidment.
The OAFB says food bank use has increased “dramatically” in Ontario since the 2008 global recession and the levels have not dipped below 370,000 in recent years.
"Unstable employment conditions, unsustainable wages and rising costs on essentials like food, transportation, hydro and gas are forcing a growing number of Ontarians to have to choose between paying their bills or putting food on the table," Amanda King of the OAFB said in a news release.
According to the report, women over 18 make up 45 per cent of food bank users in Ontario. Children represent 35 per cent of food bank users, while 30 per cent are people with a disability.
Ten per cent of food bank users are new Canadians and six per cent are First Nations people.
University students and senior citizens in rural communities are among the fastest growing groups of food bank users, according to the OAFB.
Most people who access food banks are either on social assistance or on disability support, but many are also classified as the “working poor.”
Across Canada, food bank use is 25 per cent higher than it was before the global recession, with more than 840,000 people receiving donated food in March of this year.
Read more: First-time food bank users up 20 per cent in Ontario: report | CTV News
The number of first-time food bank users in Ontario has increased by 20 per cent since last year, according to a new report.
The latest numbers released by the Ontario Association of Food Banks show that the number of households accessing food banks for the very first time went up from about 14,200 in 2013 to nearly 17,200 in March 2014.
The overall number of adults and children who visited an Ontario food bank changed only by about a thousand, from 375,814 in March 2013 to 374,698 a year later.
The jump in first-time users indicates that Ontarians are still struggling with unstable employment, low wages and the rising cost of food, hydro and transportation, OAFB says in its report.
At the Ottawa Food Bank, the number of new users has increased by 34 per cent since last year.
“We’ve seen a pretty sharp increase,” said executive director Michael Maidment.
The OAFB says food bank use has increased “dramatically” in Ontario since the 2008 global recession and the levels have not dipped below 370,000 in recent years.
"Unstable employment conditions, unsustainable wages and rising costs on essentials like food, transportation, hydro and gas are forcing a growing number of Ontarians to have to choose between paying their bills or putting food on the table," Amanda King of the OAFB said in a news release.
According to the report, women over 18 make up 45 per cent of food bank users in Ontario. Children represent 35 per cent of food bank users, while 30 per cent are people with a disability.
Ten per cent of food bank users are new Canadians and six per cent are First Nations people.
University students and senior citizens in rural communities are among the fastest growing groups of food bank users, according to the OAFB.
Most people who access food banks are either on social assistance or on disability support, but many are also classified as the “working poor.”
Across Canada, food bank use is 25 per cent higher than it was before the global recession, with more than 840,000 people receiving donated food in March of this year.
Read more: First-time food bank users up 20 per cent in Ontario: report | CTV News
