In just one month, Food Banks Canada reported nearly 2.2 million visits across the country, which they say is the highest number recorded in history. This data was recorded from March this year, doubling the monthly usage of food banks in Canada six years earlier.This troubling number makes you wonder — why the huge spike?Does this also mean there may be an increase in the number of people taking advantage of the resources meant to be given to those in need?.To answer this — the Western Standard sat down with two different food banks in Western Canada, a continuation of the previous coverage from food banks in Alberta.Dan Huang-Taylor, executive director of Food Banks BC, which encompasses over 100 hunger relief agencies throughout BC, says people may have the wrong idea."I think it's a common misconception that there are a lot of people exploiting the system.""It's not the case — a very, very small proportion of people who are accessing food banks are doing it when they don't need to.""We've seen this in kind of studies we've spoken with, and this is very much reflected across the country.".According to Anke Berner, the public relations volunteer at the Strathcona Food Bank (SFB), in Strathcona County, AB, says it's difficult to ensure people are not abusing resources."There's no hard and fast way to do that without asking that financial question.""So we've decided to flip it around. What we want to do is make the food bank accessible for everyone who needs us.""And we will ask the question of why do you need our help? But we're not asking to have them prove it to us.""But what we're seeing on the other end is we're seeing gratitude.""The people that come that give us hugs, that give us tears, and just words of appreciation, we know that's genuine.""You can tell when someone genuinely needs a hamper, and we have a gut sense too of people who may be abusing us — but those are few and far between," Berner said. .However, Berner adds if people are attempting to take advantage when they do not have a need for the food bank's charity, they deal with it through:"We do use this Link2Feed program," Berner said."That gives us the ability to take notes, so if a client shows up repeatedly late, or cancels their appointments, we will say, 'You cannot continue to cancel your appointments. We have built your hamper for you.'""Generally, it's three strikes and you're out."."We're trying to really err on the side of grace," stated Berner."But we also have to be stringent because we're accountable to our donors.""We want to make sure that people who need the food bank are using it. So we will keep track of people who can't show that their idea or that they live in Strathcona County."As for how the SFB hands out its resources, Berner says they do a few different things.."At our food bank, we ask that people make an appointment and then there's a rigorous questionnaire that they will answer over the phone.""We allow walk-ins, like obviously we have a big heart and we help people as much as possible.""Somebody comes in and says that they just moved to Strathcona County or they need some help because they don't have an appointment, we will give them an emergency hamper.""Those hampers are just far and few between.""We don't have many of those hamper requests. The majority of people are coming in for their monthly hamper," Berner stated..As for the food banks that encompass FBBC, Huang-Taylor says they have different models for different needs."In many cases, what one of our member food banks will do, particularly with someone who might be unhoused and doesn't have a fridge or a stove or is limited by the ability to kind of store or prepare food, they will be provided with a hamper that's appropriate for their circumstances.""There are other ways that folks will have kind of more of a tailored service, depending on what their circumstances are, for instance, senior packs and food that's more geared towards meeting the nutritional needs of kids and other dietary restrictions.""Culturally appropriate food is something that most of our members will continuously strive to do and provide more halal options, for instance." ."But ensuring that we are meeting the needs of the people who are using these services is always going to be a very high priority for us," stated Huang-Taylor. Both Food Banks BC and the SFB ask for photo ID, but no form of financial statements. For the past couple of years, many on social media have been sharing the "free food" they get from Canada, the majority of those sharing this are newly immigrated people. For example, in a clip posted back in 2024, a student at the University of Ottawa shared how they were able to get free food every month.."Can you believe the University of Ottawa gives all this food to the student and his spouse for free on the first Monday of every month?" the clip translates."Just bring your spouse's passport and student ID with you and enter the university of Ottawa, you'll find the building on the negative first floor of the food bank.""Kids usually wait from nine o'clock for it to open at eleven.""All the necessary food items like canned foods, meat, chicken, protein and everything else you need is there.""I believe its value is over $100," stated the woman doing the voiceover in the clip..There was no mention that the resources were only for people being in need in the clip. Another, from October this year, shows someone in Regina, Saskatchewan who posted a TikTok.The clip in its opening shows the written message: "Free grocery in Canada," and "Just like a normal grocery store."Then it proceeds to show the steps to getting access to food bank resources.It notes, "You don't need to show proof of income — the Food Bank serves everyone who needs help.""Especially those who have an income $3000 below and those with no income at all.".In January, official Mario Zelaya on TikTok posted commentary on an international student talking about the free food he got by visiting a food bank in Canada.The man in the clip does not speak English, but does repeat the words "free food in Canada" multiple times.Zelaya stated this about the clip, "Food banks started excluding first-year international students because part of the reason of why they were able to get into the country and were able to be international students is because they had to show proof of income.""Proof that they can actually house themselves, feed themselves, and sustain themselves as an international student in Canada.".On the feds' website it states to get a study permit, proof of financial support must be shown.This means international students must have enough money (without working), to pay for tuition, living expenses for themselves and their family, and transportation.
