By Nigel Maxwell

Poverty issues

More children relying on food banks to eat, according to new report

Feb 15, 2019 | 5:08 PM

Saskatchewan has the highest proportion of children relying on food banks in the country, according to a new report from Food Banks Canada.

The 2018 report found 43.5 per cent of individuals served by food banks in Saskatchewan were children, higher than the Canadian average of 35.2 per cent. Kim Scruby, Executive Director the Prince Albert, told paNOW the percentage of children using their food bank is even higher.

“We’re at 48 to 51 per cent depending on the month,” he said.

The national report revealed that food bank use in Saskatchewan grew 76.9 per cent between 2008 and 2016. Scruby said something he has noticed at their food bank is that there is a direct correlation between the unemployment rate and the number of hampers they distribute each month.

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“Inflation has got a lot to do with it and rent seems to be rising, you know that’s peoples’ biggest expenditure each month and without rent controls, it can rise as much as the landlord chooses to do it,” he said.

paNOW also reached out for comment from the Melfort and District Food Bank. President Cec Berggren said they had all seen a noticeable increase in the number of children served by the food bank.

At a press conference in Saskatoon Friday, NDP leader Ryan Meili called on the Sask. Party government to step up with a real plan to reduce poverty and improve the lives of Saskatchewan children.

“No child should be going to school or to bed hungry, but that’s the reality facing far too many Saskatchewan families,” he said in a statement. “The poverty underlying food bank usage hurts children and costs our provincial economy billions each year in increased health, social services and justice costs.”

According to a study released last November, one in four Saskatchewan children live in poverty

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell