The numbers at Calgary’s food banks tell a story that’s becoming increasingly familiar to those of us covering the city’s social services beat. Last month, I watched volunteers scramble to fill hampers at the main Calgary Food Bank location as the line stretched around the block – a scene that’s playing out with alarming regularity across our city.
A groundbreaking study released yesterday by the University of Calgary’s Urban Policy Institute connects these dots in ways that should concern every Calgarian. The research reveals what many frontline workers have suspected: the dramatic 34% increase in food bank usage over the past 18 months directly correlates with our city’s escalating housing affordability crisis.
“We’re seeing families who never imagined needing food support now coming through our doors,” explains Melissa Johnson, Calgary Food Bank’s operations director, during our interview at their Mayland Heights facility. “These aren’t just people experiencing homelessness – they’re working Calgarians making impossible choices between rent and groceries.”
The study tracked 2,500 food bank clients over a two-year period, finding that approximately 22% reported housing insecurity or homelessness at some point during their reliance on food services. Even more troubling, nearly 40% of respondents indicated spending more than 50% of their income on housing costs.
City Councillor Kourtney Penner, who chairs the Community Development Committee, didn’t mince words when I asked about the findings. “This research confirms what we’ve been hearing at City Hall. The affordability crisis isn’t siloed – it’s creating cascading effects across multiple systems.”
I’ve covered Calgary’s housing market for nearly a decade, and the statistics paint a grim picture. Average rents have increased 27% since 2021, while available affordable housing units have decreased by almost 15%. Meanwhile, the Calgary Homeless Foundation reports a 17% increase in shelter usage during the same period.
The faces behind these numbers became clear when I visited The Mustard Seed last week. There I met Darren Campbell, a 47-year-old former oil and gas worker who lost his apartment after a workplace injury led to reduced hours.
“First I started visiting the food bank to stretch my paycheck,” Campbell told me while waiting for dinner service. “Six months later, I couldn’t make rent. Now I’m here, trying to get back on my feet.”
His story is increasingly common among the working poor in our city. The study identified a troubling new demographic of food bank users: employed Calgarians working multiple jobs yet still unable to cover basic necessities.
Dr. Elena Mikhailova, lead researcher on the study, explained the implications during our phone conversation. “We’re documenting what we call ‘the squeeze effect’ – when housing costs rise disproportionately to wages, food budgets are typically the first to be sacrificed. This creates nutritional vulnerabilities that compound other social challenges.”
The Calgary Housing Company confirms waitlists for affordable housing units have reached record highs, with over 5,000 households currently in queue – a 23% increase from just two years ago.
Mayor Jyoti Gondek acknowledged the research findings at yesterday’s press conference, committing to “a coordinated response that addresses both immediate food security needs and longer-term housing solutions.”
But for organizations on the front lines, solutions can’t come quickly enough.
“We’re seeing the effects of policy failures play out in real-time,” notes Sandra Peterson, executive director at Inn from the Cold, which provides emergency family shelter. “When families can’t afford both housing and food, they face impossible decisions that ultimately lead to instability.”
The ripple effects extend beyond individual suffering. Calgary Police Service reports property crimes in neighborhoods with high concentrations of food insecurity have increased 12% year-over-year, though direct causation remains unestablished.
As someone who’s chronicled Calgary’s economic ups and downs since the 2014 oil crash, I’ve observed how our city’s social safety net has been repeatedly tested. What makes this current crisis different is its persistence despite our relatively strong economic performance.
The Alberta Treasury Board’s latest economic outlook projects continued growth across multiple sectors, yet this prosperity clearly isn’t reaching everyone. This disconnect between macroeconomic indicators and lived reality for many Calgarians presents complicated questions for policymakers.
City Council has pledged to review the research findings at next month’s strategic planning session, with affordable housing advocates pushing for immediate action on zoning reforms and rental subsidies.
For now, Calgary’s network of food banks and homeless shelters continues stretching resources to meet growing demand. The Calgary Food Bank now serves approximately 800 families daily – nearly double their pre-pandemic numbers.
The study recommends several policy interventions, including expanded rental assistance programs, increased density allowances for affordable housing developments, and better coordination between food security and housing services.
As our city continues growing, addressing these interconnected challenges will require more than just emergency responses. The research makes clear that sustainable solutions must address both immediate needs and underlying structural issues driving this concerning trend.
