Canada’s food banks overwhelmed: Why are international students being turned away?

The Greater Vancouver Food Bank in British Columbia, Canada recently decided to turn away first-year international students amid a national surge in food bank reliance.

The food bank, citing federal financial requirements for international students, argues that they should have enough financial means to cover their expenses during their initial year in Canada.

In total, British Columbia has around 175,000 international post-secondary students from over 150 countries with Indians comprising one of the largest groups.

This policy has led to intense debate, as rising inflation and living costs continue to drive increasing numbers of people, including students, to seek food assistance.

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Canada’s cost of living crisis vs Food banks

Canada’s record-breaking inflation and housing prices have created unprecedented food insecurity, pushing food bank visits to a historic high. According to Food Banks Canada, over two million visits were recorded in March 2024 alone, nearly double the monthly rate from March 2019, which saw just over one million visits.

This 90 per cent rise highlights the impact of the “one-two punch of housing and food inflation,” as CEO Kirstin Beardsley stated. “This unthinkable rate of growth is not something food banks, nor people in Canada, can sustain,” she said, calling for collective action to address the crisis.

The newly released “HungerCount 2024” report reveals that nearly 70 per cent of food bank clients live in market rent housing, while one-third are children, comprising nearly 700,000 monthly visits.

In addition, 18 per cent of clients are employed, illustrating the widespread economic hardship among working Canadians. The data also shows a significant demand for food banks from newcomers to Canada, with 32 per cent of clients being recent immigrants.

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The Greater Vancouver Food Bank’s new policy hinges on federal regulations requiring incoming international students to demonstrate $20,635 in living expenses, on top of tuition and travel costs, to secure their study permits.

This policy, which saw a cost-of-living increase from $10,000 to over $20,000 on January 1, 2024, was meant to reflect updated Statistics Canada benchmarks. According to the food bank, this amount should support students through their first year in Canada, making them less eligible for food assistance meant for financially struggling residents.

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Critics, however, argue that international students often struggle with unexpected expenses, especially given that their tuition is often three to four times higher than that of Canadian citizens.

“A lot of them don’t know the high cost of living on top of their international tuition fees,” Baljit Kamoh, regional director for Khalsa Aid Canada in Vancouver told local media. Kamoh’s team, which distributes 200-300 food packs to students each month in Surrey, British Columbia, has seen increased demand, especially during new academic terms.

How has the community responded in Canada?

The exclusion of international students has sparked backlash from various quarters. CityNews Vancouver quoted Jaskaran Singh, an international student activist with Team We Care Canada, who called the policy “awful,” pointing out that many students lack family support and community resources in a foreign country.

Vancouver Councillor Adriane Carr also labelled the policy as “tragic,” saying, “It’s really important that the students who come here to gain an education don’t starve as they do it.”

The issue has sparked debates over food bank funding sources and beneficiaries. While some argue that Canadian taxpayers fund food banks and that these resources should prioritise citizens, others note that international students contribute to campus resources and even certain food banks.

Food Banks Canada advocates for non-discriminatory access to its resources, stating in its Ethical Food Banking Code that food banks should serve clients “regardless of race, national or ethnic origin, [or] citizenship.”

However, the current economic climate has led many food banks to enforce stricter eligibility criteria to manage overwhelming demand.

What is the solution?

With poverty rates spiraling, Beardsley and Food Banks Canada have urged the government to adopt long-term solutions to address the root causes of food insecurity.

Key recommendations include increased rent assistance and a more predictable “groceries and essentials benefit” by expanding the GST credit for low-income Canadians. “People need money in their pockets today,” Beardsley stressed, adding that immediate income support is essential to help Canadians weather inflationary pressures.

The Canadian Press quoted Yesmil Pena, coordinator a food bank in Toronto, who noted the growing demand from elderly clients, stating that high-demand items like baby formula, children’s diapers, and adult diapers are often in short supply.

The food bank began with five clients per week in 2021, but today serves 250 per week, at times seeing over 300 people when demand peaks.

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The crisis, however, affects more than food resources. Critics argue that Canada’s immigration policies have led to an oversupply of foreign students, stressing housing, healthcare, and educational resources, with private colleges often charging foreign students significantly more for tuition.

In response to public concerns, Canada has recently capped certain immigration categories, including international students, amid an ongoing housing crisis.

The HungerCount report suggests that without systemic intervention, Canada risks a worsening food security crisis that leaves both local residents and international students struggling to meet basic needs.

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With inputs from agencies