More and more people are using food banks across Canada, and officials in Waterloo Region say the local picture isn’t any different.
Food Banks Canada released its annual report on the number of people using food banks on Tuesday, showing that March 2015 experienced a demand increase of a little more than one per cent over March 2014.
About 305,000 people, or 36 per cent of users, were children.
In Waterloo Region, the Food Bank of Waterloo Region and Cambridge Self-Help Food Bank say, there has been a 30 per cent increase in emergency food hamper requests since 2008.
One in 20 local households received some form of food bank assistance in 2014.
Many of those using local food banks are on fixed incomes, working low-paying jobs or new to Canada, and most live in rental housing.
“We see too many people unable to pay the bills despite working full time and too many people struggling to get back on their feet with inadequate income and training supports,” said Wendi Campbell, executive director of the Food Bank of Waterloo Region, in a press release.
Along with Food Banks Canada, Campbell is calling on the federal and provincial governments to revamp Canada’s social assistance policies to put more money in the hands of low-income earners.
With files from The Canadian Press
