Ottawa Food Bank spending $6M in 2022, three times higher than pre-pandemic

A recent report released by Food Banks Canada indicates the number of people using food banks across the country surged to an all-time high earlier this year, with high inflation and low social assistance rates cited as key factors in the rise. 

The annual report released on Thursday, Oct. 27 said there were nearly 1.5 million visits to food banks in March, a figure that was 15 per cent higher than the number of visits in the same month last year and 35 per cent higher than visits in March 2019, before the pandemic hit.

The report, which looked at data from more than 4,750 food banks and community organizations, said the skyrocketing cost of food and housing, as well as high inflation and low social assistance rates, have contributed to the rise in food bank usage.

Rachael Wilson, the chief executive officer of the Ottawa Food Bank, told Wake Up With Rob Snow on Oct. 18 that the Ottawa Food Bank was spending roughly $2 million a year pre-pandemic. 

This year alone, the Ottawa Food Bank is projecting to spend $6 million. 

“That's partly because of the cost of rising food, but that's also because of the number of people that we're seeing,” said Wilson. 

Wilson noted the Ottawa Food bank receives about $10 million in donations per year, which helps to cover the needs of the more than 52,000 people who visit the Ottawa Food Bank every month.

“Since March of this year, we've seen a 12 per cent increase and we're expecting another 15 per cent increase before December so the numbers continue to climb every single month and we're not seeing any relief in sight,” she added. 

Of those who come to the Ottawa Food Bank, Wilson said 30 per cent are families with children, who say that the reason for their visit all comes down to a lack of income.

With files from The Canadian Press.

Listen to the full interview with Rachael Wilson below.