Canada’s food bank crisis explodes to record 2.35 million visits

In March, children accounted for 775,658 monthly visits, representing approximately one-third of all food bank visits nationwide.

Source: Unsplash (Joel Muniz)

Canada’s cost-of-living crisis is pushing food bank demand to record highs, with visits more than doubling since 2019 as even working families struggle to put food on the table.

Food bank visits hit 2.35 million in March 2026, up 8.7 per cent from last year and a staggering 117 per cent since 2019, according to Food Banks Canada’s annual HungerCount report.

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Food Banks Canada CEO Kirstin Beardsley warned that millions of Canadians can no longer absorb even minor financial setbacks.

“HungerCount 2026 is the story of what happens when millions of people are out of options,” said Beardsley.

She warned that households are increasingly forced to choose between paying rent and buying groceries.

Food bank visits increased in every province and territory except Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador.