Food bank lines prove we’ve lost our way
The long lineups of bundle buggies, anxiety and despair in front of churches and social service organizations in our cities and towns are impossible to miss. These food lines are some of the most visible signs of a society that’s lost its way, but the reality is they represent a fraction of the crisis at hand.
Statistics Canada’s recently released data reveals that we have never had such high rates of food insecurity in the nation’s recorded history.
Nearly a quarter of Canadians report going without food, compromising on the quality of their groceries or being worried about where their next meal will come from. That’s close to nine million people and a 26per-cent uptick from last year. These numbers are far worse for one-parent families, single working-age adults, people living with a disability, and Black and Indigenous communities.
Not only are more people joining the ranks of the food insecure, levels of deprivation are growing. For example, the number of people who report not always being able to afford enough to eat rose by 50 per cent this year — that’s 2.3 million people across the country.
Consider the impact on our health-care system. As research shows, people who are food insecure are much more likely to have mental and physical health problems, and much less likely to have the disposable income to manage these problems. Food-insecure people turn up in higher numbers at doctor’s offices, emergency departments and hospital wards. When they are hospitalized, they end up staying longer and are more likely to be readmitted. All of their health problems are intensified as the severity of food insecurity worsens.
The food insecurity is inextricably linked to inadequate and insecure incomes. More and more people simply do not have enough money to make ends meet. Low wages and scant benefits, as well as grossly inadequate provincial and territorial social-assistance programs contribute to the gap between incomes and living costs. It’s a problem that’s been festering for years, but cost increases for food, shelter, fuel and other necessities have pushed millions over the brink.
The sheer scale of this crisis demands a national response. The good news is we already know the key policy levers at the federal level to address it. The research is unequivocal: direct income investments reduce food insecurity, improve health, and help foster a more equitable society.
Unfortunately, the recent federal budget failed to deliver on this score. Although the government committed to investing in critical areas of social infrastructure, such as affordable housing and pharmacare, the gravity of this historic moment was not met. Even the launch of the Canada Disability Benefit fell miles short: a meagre $200 a month benefit that is difficult to access and won’t hit people’s pockets until July 2025.
What we need is immediate action. This starts with the federal government committing to slash food insecurity in half and eliminate severe food insecurity altogether by 2030. Achieving this target will require bold policies. Low-income Canadians must have adequate and stable incomes — whether they are in the workforce or not.
Expanding the Canada Worker Benefit into a new Canada Working Age Supplement would begin to build greater inclusion and health for this often-overlooked demographic. Increasing the Canada Disability Benefit and transforming the GST credit into a new Groceries and Essentials Benefit could also help us to establish a more dignified baseline for our most vulnerable citizens.
The dispiriting emergency food lines and the crushing desperation won’t go away without action. We know what is required. Let’s get to work.