In October of last year, the Qajuqturvik Community Food Centre was serving about 150 meals per day. Rachel Blais, the food bank's executive director, says they're now serving more than 500 — well beyond their capacity.
Posted: Oct 29, 2022 2:00 AM CT | Last Updated: October 29Ever since March, Rachel Blais has been watching the number of people who come through Iqaluit's food bank for a hot meal tick upward.
About 7,400 people live in Nunavut's capital, according to the latest federal census. Blais said many of the people who come through the food bank's doors are typically single adults, but they're now seeing other demographics in the mix too. "We're seeing the highest food bank usage in history," said Richard Matern, director of research with Food Banks Canada.
Matern said the increase in use came largely because pandemic benefits ended and because inflation has increased. For people who were just getting by last year, those two factors pushed them over the edge, he said. "The government's approach to addressing food insecurity historically, since the 1980s, has been to rely on food charities," she said.