Need for food banks increasing in Ontario, report says

The number of people using food banks in Ontario declined since the last time the numbers were measured, but the need for help is still staggering, according to anti-poverty advocates.

Compared with 2005, the total number of people using food banks in 2006 declined.But when compared with figures from 2001, the number of Ontarians served by food banks has increased by more than 14 per cent.

The annual Ontario Hunger Report found that in 2006, 320,000 Ontarians were served by food banks each month, down slightly from 2005.

Toronto still has the highest number of people using food banks.

The study also shows there is a growing need for food banks in Ottawa, Hamilton, London, Kitchener-Waterloo, Windsor and Sudbury.

Adam Spence, of the Ontario Association of Food Banks, said people are being driven to them because they can't find well-paying jobs or affordable housing.

"It's a long term trend that we're seeing since 2001, and really since food banks began," he said.

Spence said22 per cent of Ontario food banks don't have enough food to meet the needs in their communities and it's time the province got serious about reducing poverty.

Also showing a new trend is the number of new Canadians using food banks. That number is estimated at one-third of the total.

The association is calling on the Ontario government to come up with a comprehensive plan to reduce the number of people living in poverty.