The need for free food is increasing so rapidly in the western province of Alberta that food banks are making an urgent call for donations. The province is rich in oil and many Canadians have migrated there seeking high-paying jobs. Many of them have recently been laid off due to a slump in the petroleum industry.
Increased usage ‘a little bit scary’
A food bank in Fort McMurray, at the heart of the oil industry, reports a staggering 57 per cent increase in the number of people using its services in the first half of 2015 compared with the same period last year.
“We’ve not really seen anything like we’ve seen this year. It’s been a little bit scary,” said Arianna Johnson, executive director of the Wood Buffalo Food Bank Association.
Food bank use a harbinger of economic trouble
Food bank workers say surging demand across Alberta is an early sign that the economy is in trouble there and they fear it could be a harbinger of tough times for the rest of the country too. Oil is a major driver of the Canadian economy.
While Canadians who are laid off may be eligible for unemployment benefits paid by the government, those payments run out after period of time. Many have debt, particularly mortgages on their homes and credit card debt which incurs very high interest charges.
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