Despite unemployment skyrocketing in the first three months of the pandemic, social policy temporarily helped mitigate a higher rate of demand at food banks that might have otherwise occurred. A new report by Food Banks Canada, Food Banks and COVID-19 – A National Snapshot, surveyed nearly 1,000 food banks across Canada and found that government supports such as the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and increases to the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) were seen to have the most significant impact in helping to flatten the curve of food bank use during the early stages of the COVID-19 crisis.
Some of the report’s high-level findings include:
- Urban centres with populations of 100K or more and areas with large workforces in the hardest hit industries see greatest increase in demand.
- Low-income renters more likely to struggle with housing costs during the pandemic, particularly in larger urban centres.
- Concerns abound that a lack of affordable childcare will keep women out of work post-pandemic.
- Food banks were able to innovate and quickly adapt to the rapidly changing needs of their communities and engage their local connections throughout the pandemic.
Click here to read the full report, including policy recommendations.
