More Canadian singles using food banks

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A report from Food Banks Canada has found single-person households now account for nearly half of all users, up considerably from 38 per cent in 2010.

Despite a decline in unemployment rates, the lack of an adequate social safety net — especially among those with disabilities and seniors on pensions — makes it more challenging for them to deal with setbacks.

The HungerCount2019 report recommends governments make single, low-income adults a priority consideration in all future poverty reduction policy measures, including implementing a Basic Income approach.

It looked at data from 4,934 food banks across the country, and found the lack of an adequate safety net means singles are less likely to have financial help when they fall behind, lose their job or become ill.

Food Banks Canada says a Basic Income and more rent-geared-to-income housing would go a long way in reducing the tenuous position of single-person households.

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