Food Banks Canada's annual Poverty Report Cards show most of the country on edge of failure as struggles with poverty continue to climb

TORONTO, - Canada has reached a critical turning point as poverty and food insecurity worsen in every corner of the country, but despite the scale of the crisis, most governments are not responding with the urgency that is needed, according to Food Banks Canada's newly-released 2024 Poverty Report Cards.

Food Banks Canada's 2024 Poverty Report Cards found that almost half of people nationally (44%) feel worse off financially compared to last year; one in four are experiencing food insecurity and all jurisdictions except one province are failing in the affordable housing section of the report.  These important findings contributed to Food Banks Canada downgrading the federal government's grade of D in 2023 to a D- in 2024.

"Food Bank Canada's 2024 Poverty Report Cards show that people in Canada, from coast to coast to coast, are struggling to keep up with the rising cost of living. Though deeply concerning, these results are sadly unsurprising to the thousands of food banks across the country who have seen a 50 per cent increase in visits since 2021," explains Food Banks Canada CEO Kirstin Beardsley. "All levels of government and all jurisdictions working together is the only effective way to decrease and reverse poverty and food insecurity," urges Beardsley. "Food Banks Canada's 2024 Poverty Report Cards clearly show that sustained, collective effort from all governments is our greatest hope for real and lasting change."