Stuck in the Hunger Cycle
Press Release
“IT’S REALLY HARD TO HAVE THAT BIG PICTURE WHEN YOU’RE JUST KIND OF KEEPING YOUR HEAD ABOVE WATER.”
In 2024, Food Banks Canada (FBC) conducted a community-based research (CBR) project in collaboration with individuals who are experiencing food insecurity despite being employed. This group is a growing but often overlooked segment of the population. By focusing on lived experiences and valuing community expertise, the study aimed to better understand the intersecting factors, systemic challenges, and structural inequities that make it difficult for many people to thrive and drive working people into crisis. Employment is typically assumed to provide stability, but our findings reveal that many workers continue to face significant challenges
to their ability to meet their basic needs.
This study looked in-depth at the key barriers and challenges that employed people who are experiencing food insecurity face in their daily lives. Through detailed interviews and focus groups, participants shared not only the hardships they face but also thoughtful recommendations for change that offer a powerful
roadmap for action.
In addition to experiences of hunger, meal skipping, and inability to afford balanced meals due to financial constraints, participants described complex and interrelated challenges affecting their access to supports and stability both within and outside of the labour market. These challenges included the following:
Wage and cost of living gap: Inflation outpaces wages, forcing many people to choose between essentials such as food, housing, and health care.
Inadequate government support: Many people miss out on getting the help they need because eligibility criteria and application processes for government support programs are often complex and difficult to navigate.
Barriers to employment: A lack of affordable childcare, transportation, and flexible work options disproportionately affects caregivers, persons with disabilities, and rural residents and limits their job access and stability.
Barriers to employment for internationally trained professionals: Many people who have trained outside of Canada face long, costly accreditation processes to have their credentials recognized here. This leads to their being underemployed and facing financial strain.
Employment instability: Many workers rely on finding work through temp agencies. That work is often insecure and comes with low wages and no benefits.
Systemic barriers and discrimination: Participants face a range of systemic barriers, including employer bias against persons with disabilities, language barriers, and lack of accountability in hiring practices, including limited mechanisms to identify, challenge, or address discriminatory practices. These affect participants’ financial stability and self-esteem.
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