Food banks across Canada are calling for federal reforms to the Employment Insurance (EI) system as food insecurity reaches crisis levels.
The push for policy change comes as traditional employment structures shift, leaving a growing number of Canadians without a reliable social safety net. As more workers enter the gig economy or take part-time roles, the existing EI framework fails to provide adequate coverage, forcing families to rely on charitable food services to survive.
Kirsten Beardsley, CEO of Food Banks Canada, said that unemployment is trending up and food insecurity rates at crisis levels across the country are such that more momentum is needed from a policy perspective.
A recent report card from Food Banks Canada highlights the severity of the situation. Every province in the country received a grade of “C” or lower [1] regarding food insecurity.
Local operators report that the strain on resources is unprecedented. Carolyn McLeod-McCarthy of the Guelph Food Bank said demand for the services of local food banks has never been higher. She also noted concerns regarding the impact U.S. tariffs will have on the local economy.
Advocates argue that the EI system no longer serves the modern workforce. The rise of precarious employment, characterized by short-term contracts and irregular hours, means many workers do not meet the requirements to collect benefits despite being unable to afford basic necessities.
This systemic gap creates a cycle where food banks must fill the void left by government policy. With unemployment trending upward, these organizations are stretched thin while trying to meet the needs of a population facing increasing economic instability.
“Every province in the country received a grade of “C” or lower regarding food insecurity.”
The crisis in Canada's food bank system reflects a widening gap between 20th-century social insurance and a 21st-century labor market. By tying benefits to traditional full-time employment, the EI system excludes a growing segment of the workforce engaged in gig and part-time labor. This shift transforms food banks from temporary emergency services into permanent infrastructure for a failing social safety net.
