On this Monday in August, a little before 1 p.m., the first people wait in front of the doors of Patro Roc-Amadour. Armed with bags, they wait for the food distribution offered by this social aid organization established for seventy-five years in the working-class neighborhood of Limoilou, in Quebec City, to begin.
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For a good part of the afternoon, a steady flow passes by: while a dozen beneficiaries wait their turn and are offered water or coffee by volunteers, others are in the grocery section of the place. With their carts, they go from table to table, and are given the products to which they are entitled, depending on the number of people in their household. “We are in a good period, that of harvests and beautiful fruits and vegetables from Quebec. The tables are well filled and the products diversified”emphasizes with pleasure « M. Jacques ».
A volunteer for eighteen years at Patro Roc-Amadour, this retiree with a laughing eye and a well-grown moustache has seen the face of poverty change. “Two or three years ago, 85% of users were social assistance beneficiaries, with incomes of around $800 [canadiens] per month (around 530 euros)Today, we see a lot of new arrivals, who are waiting for a work permit or who have low-paid jobs. “There is also, every year, an increase in the number of elderly peopleadds Mario Hébert, director of the mutual aid service. For others, they are single people or large families.
A pair of winter boots
The trend is expected to worsen, given the results of a Pollara Strategic Insights survey for Food Banks Canada, released on August 22, indicating that 35 per cent of Canadians are experiencing more financial difficulties than they were three months ago. “If this is confirmed, the food bank network will not be able to cope with the tidal wave of people seeking help., warns Kirstin Beardsley, director of Food Banks Canada. We were not designed to support a quarter of the population.”
Because, according to this organization that oversees food bank services in each province, 25% of Canadians have a standard of living below the poverty line. A percentage different from the 10% estimated by Statistics Canada. This gap with the official rate is due to the choice of statistical tools.
Food Banks Canada used the Material Deprivation Index, which calculates the proportion of Canadians living in poverty because they cannot afford two or more essential items. This applies to 30% of young people aged 18 to 30, 44.5% of single-parent families and 42% of renters, according to the study published in June. The organization also surveyed households to find out whether they could meet various needs, such as getting around, having at least one pair of well-fitting shoes and a pair of winter boots, or keeping their homes at a suitable temperature throughout the year.
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