TORONTO - A new report by the Ontario Association of Food Banks suggests a growing number of people in the province are turning to charity for nourishment.
The report released today says food bank usage has increased by 28 per cent since 2008.
It also says as many as 400,000 Ontario residents -- or 3.1 per cent -- rely on food banks every month.
Minister of Children and Youth Services Laurel Broten says the report recognizes some strides the province has taken in reaching its poverty reduction goals.
For instance, food bank use among children dropped from 40 per cent to 37 per cent over the past decade.
Broten says this indicates the Ontario Child Benefit program is helping low-income families.
Food bank use among new immigrants has also decreased.
"What the Ontario Association of Food Banks is telling us in this report is that our investments are making a concrete difference in the lives of some Ontarians," Broten said.
"We recognize that there is much more work to do," she added.
The food banks association is calling on the Liberals, Progressive Conservatives and New Democrats to make hunger a top priority in the upcoming provincial election.
"How many more reports will it take for Ontario political party leaders to wake up to the fact that hunger needs to be at the top of their agendas?" executive director Ed Borkowski wrote in a statement.
"Not enough is being done to proactively address health problems arising directly from poor nutrition and poverty."
The report blames the trend on several factors, including the recent economic recession and a lack of affordable housing for low-income families.
It also says the average profile of those accessing food banks has shifted over the last decade, with single adults comprising the largest portion.
Single-parent families are the second-largest group served.
