Food Banks Canada's 2024 report shows rising poverty and food insecurity, urging unified government action
Canada is at a critical juncture as poverty and food insecurity escalate nationwide.
Despite the crisis's severity, most governments are not responding with the needed urgency, according to Food Banks Canada's 2024 Poverty Report Cards.
The report cards reveal that nearly half of Canadians (44 percent) feel worse off financially compared to last year, with one in four experiencing food insecurity.
All jurisdictions, except one province, fail in the affordable housing section. As a result, Food Banks Canada downgraded the federal government's grade from a D in 2023 to a D- in 2024.
“Food Banks Canada's 2024 Poverty Report Cards show that people in Canada, from coast to coast to coast, are struggling to keep up with the rising cost of living. Though deeply concerning, these results are sadly unsurprising to the thousands of food banks across the country who have seen a 50 percent increase in visits since 2021,” explains Kirstin Beardsley, CEO of Food Banks Canada.
She emphasizes that a unified effort from all government levels is essential for reducing and reversing poverty and food insecurity.
“Food Banks Canada's 2024 Poverty Report Cards clearly show that sustained, collective effort from all governments is our greatest hope for real and lasting change,” urges Beardsley.
Most regional governments are not providing the necessary financial relief.
“Food Banks Canada introduced its annual Poverty Report Cards in 2023 as a comprehensive overview of the Canadian poverty picture and to compare the progress of every government over time, focusing on providing governments with tangible ways to improve and prioritize poverty reduction efforts,” stated Phil Ozga, chief network and government Relations officer at Food Banks Canada.
In 2024, most Canadian governments received grades in the D range, with seven out of ten provinces earning a D- for their inadequate poverty reduction efforts.
Only Nova Scotia (improving from an F in 2023 to a D- in 2024) and Prince Edward Island (up from a D+ in 2023 to a C- in 2024) improved their grades due to enhanced legislative focus on poverty reduction over the past year.
Quebec, while trending higher with a C+ compared to most regions, dropped from a B- in 2023 due to policy actions failing to keep pace with rising living costs. In the North, the high costs of housing and living exacerbate community struggles, highlighting the urgent need for unified government action.
The report provides detailed provincial, national, and territorial analysis and statistics, along with interactive, digital maps to hold governments accountable.
