Maritime provinces get low grades on Food Banks Canada's poverty report cards

It's only a few weeks old, but a new food delivery program for people living between Hornes Road and Louisbourg, N.S., who are experiencing food insecurity has proven to be badly-needed.

"It's about 1,000 people a week that we serve,” said program organizer Eva MacKeigan.

Those involved with the program say some people in the mostly rural area only get to the grocery store once a month.

"You have to go into town because there's just nothing available here,” said resident Bob McIsaac.

Food Banks Canada's 2024 poverty report cards, which were released on Wednesday, found most of the country is on the edge of failure when it comes to food insecurity, and the Maritimes are no exception.

"It's frightening,” said Richard Matern, Food Banks Canada’s director of research. "When you're seeing that a significant portion — almost 30 per cent of your population — is experiencing food insecurity, and when you're seeing that many are still feeling worse off than they did last year… that requires some urgent action."

The Maritime provinces earned poor grades for 2023: an F for Nova Scotia, a D- in New Brunswick and a D+ for Prince Edward Island.

While Nova Scotia’s and P.E.I.’s grades improved marginally this year to D- and C, respectively, New Brunswick’s grade held steady.

"What we'll need is sustained collective government action from all levels of government in order to reverse this trend,” Matern said.

Food Banks Canada noted it's not all bad news. They said in the past year, P.E.I. has implemented one of the best poverty reduction strategies in the country and they would like to see Nova Scotia do something similar.

Pilot program organizers in Louisbourg have taken it upon themselves to try and make a difference.

"The ultimate goal is to keep people swimming. When people know that help is coming, they'll keep swimming,” MacKeigan said.