More than 700,000 Canadians used food banks in March 2008 and almost half those emergency food distribution centres were in rural Canada, the national association of food banks reported last week.
And 40 percent of the rural food bank users were children, higher than the urban tally.
“Though they serve fewer people than those located in urban areas, rural food banks make up nearly half of food banks in the country,” said the annual Canadian hunger report prepared by Food Banks Canada.
A higher proportion of rural food bank users, more than 50 percent, were on social assistance, compared to the national average, 58 percent were renters and fewer than 15 percent reported holding a steady job.
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National food bank officials regularly report that poor farm families use food banks but often in the nearest city to avoid being recognized.
The annual report by Food Banks Canada included the customary denunciation of hunger in a rich country. It warned that as Canada heads into recession, the numbers will get worse.
“Food bank use has persistently remained above 700,000 people per month since 1997 throughout some of the most economically prosperous years this country has ever seen,” said the report. “With economic uncertainty ahead, there is concern that this number could climb.”
It said a likely trend is to see more Canadians with jobs using food banks because “many jobs just don’t pay enough to heat their homes, cover the rent, clothe their families and provide three square meals every day so they make choices and sometimes they reach out for help, including to food banks.”
It said more than 37 percent of those going to food banks for free meals were children. Saskatchewan had the highest proportion of child clients at almost 46 percent.
However, Saskatchewan also reported the greatest decrease in food bank use during the past year and the Food Banks Canada report suggested it was because the payment for residential school abuse to First Nations communities increased disposable income on reserves.
“After consultation with Saskatchewan food banks, Food Banks Canada believes that these payments were a major contributor to the decrease in food bank use in that province in 2008,” said the report.
The story in Alberta was less optimistic.
Despite a booming resource and agricultural economy last year, almost 34,000 people used food banks in March 2008, including more than 14,000 children.
More than 28 percent reported being employed but unable to meet the living costs of the heated economy.
“Alberta’s strong economy has a dark side,” said the report. “There are inherent problems associated with the economy for the working poor, those who are under or unemployed and those struggling on fixed incomes. With continued increases to housing costs, individuals and families living in poverty struggle to make monthly payments and food security becomes a serious issue.”
The food bank lobby said Ottawa could help with a poverty-reduction strategy, increased tax benefits and implementation of a Senate agriculture committee report recommendation that there be a federal effort to improve the quality of rural housing.
