Remember folks, Canada is not in recession. Harper told me so. Canada will not run a deficit. Harper told me so. I believe Harper. The only true word is that of Harper. Harper is all knowing. Harper is all powerful. Harper. Harper. Harper.

More Ontarians are turning to food banks in these turbulent economic times, according to a report from the Ontario Association of Food Banks.

The report released yesterday said food banks across Ontario reported a 13% increase in clients from September 2007 to September 2008. The increase in Toronto mirrored the provincial average.

"The increase of 13% is unprecedented over the past decade," said Adam Spence, executive director of the Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB).

In March 2008, more than 300,000 Ontarians turned to food banks. If the trend continues, 350,000 people will be relying on food banks next year, according to the report.

It blamed the increase on the faltering economy and rising cost of food, energy, water and other basic necessities.

"Families that would have just been getting by, making ends meet would have been pushed over the edge by these rising costs, and food in particular ... has increased tremendously in the past year alone," Spence said.

Food banks in Orillia, Lindsay, Cornwall, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, St. Thomas, Stratford, Oshawa and London experienced the greatest increase over the past year.

Manufacturing job losses may be why more people in those communities are in need, the report concluded.

"So that's a major reason we think that more people are turning to food banks in those communities," Spence said.

Judy Dancause, the executive director of the Agape Centre, a food bank in Cornwall, said the centre has been increasingly busy since June 2008.

"So far we haven't had to reduce service. It's been a tough few months, and with what's happening with the economy across the country ... we're not expecting it to get easier for quite some time," said Dancause, who also is chair of the OAFB.

The report said more than 37% of those who use the food bank are children, 20% of clients have disabilities and 19.7% work or have recently lost their job.

http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2008...614436-sun.html

iN cANADA, EVEN IN GOOD TIMES, PEOPLE FROM ISLAMIC COUNTRIES GO FOR THEIR WEEKLY GROCERIES TO THESE FOOD BANKS ONLY,IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER THE ARE POOR OR RICH. i USED TO SEE MUSLIMS COMING IN POSH CARS ,AND STANDING IN QUE FOR THEIR QUOTA OF FREE FOOD.

Not surprising. That minority group are one of the biggest users of this countries social services , especially welfare.

more like HAMPER!

Lots of people go to foodbanks even though they technically don't have to. They just don't want to spend the money on something (i.e. food) they can get for free.

You see all the time guys who work through temporary labour agencies to get their checks at the end of the day, go to the church for dinner and then stop at a pub. Is it what you imagined when you donated money to charity or a food bank?

When I was doing my voluntarywork in Toronto food banks, I used to find most of welltodo people from third world countries,doning their hijabs, come for free food items. The ladies will be wearing roes ofgold bangles

Yeah, right. Liar.