Canada has a generational opportunity to reduce poverty

Food Banks Canada's 2026 Poverty Report Cards shows that despite some positive legislative steps, country is still treading water in the face of historic food insecurity

TORONTO, June 1, 2026 /CNW/ - Canada's resilience against poverty and food insecurity improved slightly in 2026 -- but without urgent, federal action to modernize EI, and provincial and territorial improvements to social assistance -- that positive progress is at risk of being swept away, warns Food Banks Canada in its 2026 Poverty Report Cards.

www.foodbankscanada.ca (CNW Group/Food Banks Canada)

According to the new reports, the introduction of the Grocery and Essentials Benefit, progress toward automatic tax filing, expanded dental care and the strengthening of the Canada Child Benefit nudged Canada's overall grade up from a D in 2025 to a D+ in 2026.

In its 2026 Poverty Report Cards, Food Banks Canada outlines a practical roadmap to help governments prioritize poverty reduction strategies, while issuing an urgent call for the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, to do their part to reduce food insecurity and poverty. 

Canada 2026 Poverty Report Card Highlights	2026	2025
Overall Grade	D+	D
Food Insecurity Grade	F	F
Legislative Progress	C	C
Federal Policy Recommendations
Reform EI permanently to create modern supports for today's workforce
Close the cost-of-living gap in the Groceries and Essentials Benefit for Northern Canada
Conduct a national review of social assistance and federal transfers
See regional highlights below

Canada Needs Modern EI for Modern Workplace
"Canada needs modern EI for our modern workplace. Too many workers-- youth, gig, self-employed, part-time and precarious workers -- are all paying the price for decades of temporary, band-aid policies. As unemployment trends upwards, combined with increased living costs and economic uncertainty, our broken and outdated EI system is one of the greatest threats to Canada's resiliency," explains Food Banks Canada CEO Kirstin Beardsley.

Join the Call for Modern EI Reform
"Change is possible. It's time to make the generational investment and comprehensive reforms needed to rebuild and modernize EI for modern workers," urges Beardsley.

"Join with us in calling for a stronger Canada where everyone has access to the food they need to thrive. Join Food Banks Canada's call-to-action to let your federal representatives know that you support a modern EI for Canada's modern workforce."

Treading Water Against Rising Food Insecurity
Encouragingly, Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador saw modest improvements in their overall grade compared to 2024; both provinces moved forward on many recommendations outlined in past Food Banks Canada reports. Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan also posted slight 2026 improvements.

Alberta and Ontario stayed consistent, indicating no improvement. Quebec, once a significant national leader, saw its overall grade decline in 2026. While the province still has the nation's lowest poverty rate, the gap with other provinces has shrunk. New Brunswick, PEI, and BC also saw their overall grades decline in 2026, suggesting that poverty reduction efforts have stalled, or even regressed, in those provinces. New Brunswick received the only failing grade, indicating that poverty reduction efforts have not kept pace with growing needs.

In the North, the report spotlights the impact of chronic underinvestment, emergency-levels of food insecurity and calls out for dedicated investments in Indigenous data sovereignty alongside Indigenous-led infrastructure and skills training.

BC	2026	2024
Overall Grade	D	D+
Policy Recommendations: Restore $3B commitment to improve social assistance Fulfill commitment to introduce a grocery rebate Maintain BC Housing's capital budget at a minimum $1.2B annually through 2030
ALBERTA	2026	2024
Overall Grade	D-	D-
Policy Recommendations: Establish a permanent rent control guideline Transform one-time affordability payments into a permanent Alberta Family Benefit Develop a new poverty reduction strategy with legislated targets
SASKATCHEWAN	2026	2024
Overall Grade	D+	D-
Policy Recommendations: Introduce a refundable Saskatchewan Child Benefit Index Saskatchewan Income Support and Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability to inflation Introduce basic rent increase guidelines
MANITOBA	2026	2024
Overall Grade	C-	D-
Policy Recommendations: Increase and index Employment and Income Assistance rates Develop a comprehensive, provincial food security strategy Enhance the Rent Assist program
ONTARIO	2026	2024
Overall Grade	D-	D-
Policy Recommendations: End the 8-year rate freeze and increase Ontario Works Restore full rent control coverage across all rental units Introduce a new poverty reduction strategy with clear enforceable targets
QUEBEC	2026	2024
Overall Grade	C	C+
Policy Recommendations: Build affordable housing at scale to close the supply gap Raise social assistance to at least the poverty line Raise the minimum wage and commit to a living wage pathway
NEWFOUNDLAND and LABRADOR	2026	2024
Overall Grade	D+	D-
Policy Recommendations: Set clear poverty reduction targets Deliver a family affordability action plan Develop a Labrador food affordability and access plan
NEW BRUNSWICK	2026	2024
Overall Grade	F	D-
Policy Recommendations: Make rent protection permanent and strengthen tenant rights Raise social assistance to a level that meets basic needs -- and index to inflation Build a plan to raise the minimum wage to a living wage
NOVA SCOTIA	2026	2024
Overall Grade	D	D-
Policy Recommendations: Raise social assistance to cover basic needs Restore and expand employment and skills training programs Release a new poverty reduction strategy with clear targets
PEI	2026	2024
Overall Grade	D+	C-
Policy Recommendations: Raise social assistance rates to the poverty line and index to inflation Establish a permanent, affordable housing financing fund Increase the minimum wage
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES	2026	2024
Legislative Progress Grade*	D	F
Policy Recommendations: Raise the minimum wage to at least $22.50/hour and index to inflation Increase Income Assistance and all benefit payments by 15% over three years -- and index to inflation Invest in Indigenous data sovereignty
*overall grade incomplete due to unavailability of data
YUKON	2026	2024
Legislative Progress Grade*	D	C
Policy Recommendations: Reduce housing costs and maintain rental protections Index the Yukon Supplementary Allowance and increase support for people with disabilities Develop a Skills Development Fund in partnership with Yukon First Nations, labour unions and employers
*overall grade incomplete due to unavailability of data
NUNAVUT	2026	2024
Legislative Progress Grade*	INC	D
Policy Recommendations: Strengthen Indigenous leadership in data sovereignty and measurement Expand and modernize the Nunavut Child Benefit Ensure Arctic infrastructure and defense investments create local jobs and skills development
*overall grade incomplete due to unavailability of data

About Food Banks Canada
Food Banks Canada is the leader in addressing food insecurity in Canada. Our mission is to provide national leadership to relieve hunger today and prevent hunger tomorrow in collaboration with the food bank network from coast to coast to coast. For over 40 years, food banks have been dedicated to helping people living in Canada with food insecurity.

Over 5,500 food banks and community organizations come together to serve our most vulnerable neighbours, who -- this year -- made close to 2.2 million visits to these organizations in one month alone, according to our HungerCount report.

Since 2010, Food Banks Canada has shared over $1 billion in food supports and over $275 million in funding to help maximize collective impact and strengthen local capacity--while, backed by leading research, advocating for meaningful actions from governments to counter hunger and its root causes.

Our vision is clear: to create a Canada where no one goes hungry. Visit foodbankscanada.ca to learn more.

SOURCE Food Banks Canada

For more information, visuals and to pre-book interviews: [email protected]