Food Banks Canada released the 2012 HungerCount Report today on parliament hill. The report highlighted a 2.4% increase in food bank usage from last year. In March of this year 882,188 people (38% of whom were children), accessed food banks in Canada.

Food Banks Canada offered five key recommendations to help people become more self-sufficient. These recommendations include:

1. Increase federal investment in affordable housing, so that people are not forced to choose between paying rent or buying food.
2. Establish a Northern Food Security Innovation Fund, comprehensive territorial school breakfast programs, and new community infrastructure, to help address the incredibly high levels of household food insecurity in the territories.
3. Improve the Guaranteed Income Supplement so that no senior falls below the poverty line.
4. At the provincial government level, make significant changes to social assistance, so that the program helps people to live with dignity and get back on their feet.
5. Increase the value, and broaden eligibility for the Working Income Tax Benefit (WITB), and increase for the hundreds of thousands of unemployed people in Canada who are not able to access Employment Insurance benefits.

To read the full report click here.