The number of seniors needing access to food banks in Northwestern Ontario is on the rise, although the region’s rate isn’t nearly rising as quickly as it is in the rest of the province.
The Ontario Association of Food Banks released a report on Monday showing a startling 35 per cent more seniors accessed food banks this year than in 2014.
The Regional Food Distribution Association’s data shows a five per cent increase in food bank clientele in Northwestern Ontario but the RFDA’s executive director said that population is experiencing increased need.
“Progressively, we’ve had more people joining the ranks of the soup kitchens, the feeing programs,” said Volker Kromm.
“All the operators there have indicated they’ve seen a lot more individual seniors coming into have a regular meals. Also, the number of hampers is increasing at the various food banks.”
Where the RFDA handed out 1,000 hampers to seniors over the 2014 holiday season, Kromm said it’s preparing to disseminate 1,200 this year for those over 65 years of age.
The RFDA has been collecting age and self-identified ethnic data on its users for two years but as of 2016, the practice will be mandatory for all food banks in Ontario.
While Kromm said 90 per cent of food bank clients have been submitting that data voluntarily, he conceded demographic evidence will become stronger over the coming years.
Ontario's Minister Responsible for Seniors Affairs Mario Sergio was in Thunder Bay as the report was released. Sergio called on all levels of government to respond to seniors’ needs when it comes to basic shelter and food.
“I’m surprised, maybe I’m not surprised to have so many (using food banks) but I think it’s telling us we have to pay more attention to our senior population,” he said.
“We have more people over the age of 65 than we have under the age of 14. This is increasing. In about 20 years, we’ll have more seniors than people working in the working field. So I think it’s very, very much time we pull ourselves together at all levels and do more for our seniors.”
