Working hard, and using the food bank

Toronto’s Daily Bread Food Bank saw a decline in the number of visits it received last year — but that doesn’t mean executive director Gail Nyberg is breathing a sigh of relief.

While the number of annual visits to the agency fell, use of food banks across the country is rising, particularly among singles. It remains stubbornly high for families with children.

Some economists say food bank use is also surprisingly high among people who earn minimum wage, or receive provincial social assistance and Employment Insurance — a sign that government policies on wages, financial support and housing need to be re-examined.

“Both housing- and wage-related policies would be top of mind to reduce the pressure that many families are facing in keeping a roof over their head and putting food on the table,” said Armine Yalnizyan, senior economist at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

The Daily Bread and other regional food banks in the Greater Toronto Area received approximately 1.04 million visits from April 2013 to March 2014. That’s down about 7 per cent from the previous period.

While employment has increased in that period, food bank organizers also wonder if some users have moved away from the GTA to find cheaper housing.