Food Banks Canada rings the alarm: Not enough to support Canadians

Employment Insurance (EI) is a federal income-support program that provides temporary financial assistance to eligible workers who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. Examples include layoffs, work shortages, or seasonal shutdowns. To qualify for regular EI benefits, Canadians generally must have accumulated between 420 and 700 insurable hours of work during the previous 52 weeks, depending on the unemployment rate in their region. Applicants must also prove they are actively seeking work, are available and able to work, and must submit reports every two weeks to continue receiving benefits. Workers who quit without just cause, are dismissed for misconduct, or are involved in a labour dispute, such as a strike, may not qualify. EI regular benefits typically replace 55 per cent of a worker’s average insurable earnings, up to a maximum of $729 per week in 2026 and can be paid for between 14 and 45 weeks, depending on regional labour market conditions and hours worked. Ei benefits are calculated using the worker’s highest-paid weeks either during their last 52 weeks or since their last claim. The benefit amount is dependent on the unemployment rate of the individual worker’s area.

“EI is outdated, hard to access, and failing too many workers.”

Heather McPherson, MP Edmonton Strathcona

The report claims that the government’s shortcomings are increasingly visible in food bank data. Food Banks Canada’s latest ‘HungerCount’ found that 19.4 per cent of food bank clients now report employment as their primary source of income. That number is a drastic increase from 2019’s percentage of 12 per cent. Researchers say the increase reflects the growing number of working Canadians who remain unable to afford basic necessities despite having jobs. Rising housing, food and transportation costs have outpaced wage growth in many regions, leaving more workers vulnerable to food insecurity.

In Toronto, the Daily Bread Food Bank reported a record 4.1 million client visits in 2025, a 340 per cent increase compared with its numbers from 2019. The organization claims that food insecurity is shifting from a temporary emergency to a long-term reality for many households. Food bank operators are increasingly reporting that a significant umber of their clients are employed, attending school, or working multiple jobs. Even though these Canadians are gainfully employed and meeting their societal expectations, they remain unable to keep up with the cost of living.

“What was once a short-term emergency has become a long-term reality.”

Daily Bread Food Bank, Toronto

Food bank usage has now expanded well beyond the traditionally vulnerable populations it used to serve. Food Banks Canada reports that single adults make up the largest group of food bank users, accounting for 42.2 per cent of clients, while families with children also represent a significant share, making up around 40 per cent of food bank visits. Nearly half of food bank users identify as members of racialized communities, with a significant chunk of that demographic being newcomers to Canada. Only 3.2 per cent of food bank users report EI as their primary source of income, a figure advocates say illustrates how limited the program’s reach has become.

Food Banks Canada has called for a broad modernization of EI in order to better serve today’s labour market and protect vulnerable citizens. While the report does not prescribe a single solution, it argues that eligibility rules should be updated. Many Canadians now work irregular schedules, in contract employment, and in gig-economy jobs; all factors that can negatively affect their EI benefits. Food Banks Canada’s advocates say new reforms could help provide more reliable income support during economic downturns and reduce the number of Canadians falling into poverty after losing work. Right now, EI restrictions combined with gaps in the social safety net create what Food Banks Canada calls a “new normal” for food insecurity in Canada.

The debate comes as policymakers continue grappling with the broader affordability crisis affecting households nationwide. Food Banks Canada argues that food banks were never intended to function as a permanent pillar of Canada’s social safety net. Unfortunately, as food bank visits continue to set records and more working Canadians are forced to seek assistance, food banks are struggling to keep pace with the rapidly changing economy. While food banks attempt to be a stopgap for families nearing poverty, government social safety nets are failing. Without significant reforms, Food Banks Canada warns that more Canadians may continue falling through the cracks in the system.