Nearly two million Canadians visited a food bank in the month of March, a record number that food bank officials say paints a dire picture of growing food insecurity across the country.
Food Banks Canada's annual Hunger Count report says governments have been ignoring alarm bells as use of the service has grown among working people, seniors and immigrants.
Data collected from food banks across the country shows Canadians are struggling to pay for housing, food and other expenses that consume more of their stagnant wages.
Cynthia Boulter, with the Greater Vancouver Food Banks, says they see parents who are skipping meals so their children can eat, they see people who haven't eaten for days and seniors who haven't had fresh produce in months.
The report says people on social assistance programs make up more than 40 per cent of food bank users, as their monthly payments have failed to rise and keep most recipients in poverty.
The report also shows that housing affordability is also a major driver of food bank use, with nearly 70 per cent of those accessing food banks living in market rental homes.
Food Banks Canada C-E-O Kirstin Beardsley says the numbers paint a heartbreaking picture of a country where governments lack the political courage needed to make meaningful, long-term social investments.