B.C. has received a ‘D’ grade from Food Banks Canada in its latest Poverty Report Card.
Food Banks Canada released its annual Poverty Report Card Monday (June 1) and the country as a whole received a D+. The grade, according to the report, is driven “primarily by a sharp deterioration in perceptions about the adequacy of government support combined with sustained affordability pressures.”
B.C. was just behind the national mark with an overall grade of D-, which the report says reflects a “persistently weak performance across affordability, access, and income pressure indicators.”
The report noted several factors for the grade: housing affordability, income spent on fixed costs outside of housing, access to healthcare, people being worse off than the previous year and adequacy of government support.
Housing affordability
In B.C., 49 per cent of residents spent 30 per cent or more of their income on housing. It was the highest share in the country and B.C. actually received a failing grade as a result.
The report says that housing stress in B.C. “increased steadily” from 2023 to 2026.
In comparison to the rest of the country, 42 per cent of Canadians spent 30 per cent or more of their income on housing. In 2023, 36 per cent of Canadians spent that amount and in 2024 it jumped to 43.6 per cent and has stayed in the low 40s ever since.
Income spent on fixed costs outside of housing
B.C. earned a slightly higher grade for income spent on fixed costs outside of housing with a C+. British Columbians spent ab out 54.9 per cent of their income on fixed costs, which is just lower than the national average of 56 per cent.
Nationally, the report says the figure has stayed about the same since 2023.
“Year to year movement has been minimal, indicating persistently high pressure from essential costs.”
Access to healthcare
B.C. also received a failing grade for this, with 24 per cent of people reporting difficulty accessing care. Conditions worsened in 2023 and have only “partially improved since then.”
It’s the same nationally. The report card notes the share of people reporting difficulty accessing care rising to 24 per cent in 2026, compared to 19 per cent in 2023.
Worse off than last year
About 42 per cent of British Columbians feel they’re worse off than the previous year. The report notes that earlier declines “suggested hardship was easing slightly,” but the latest report “signals renewed strain.”
Canada-wide, about 39 per cent of people said they felt they were worse off than the previous year. It was 44 per cent in 2024 and 43 per cent in 2023.
Adequacy of government support
B.C. also received a F grade for this, with 68 per cent of people who receive government support saying it’s inadequate. The report says this is one of the highest rates nationally and has been on an upward trend since 2023.
Nationally, it was just slightly behind at 66 per cent. It has been on the rise with 65 per cent in 2025 after a sharp increase from the 45.9 per cent in 2023.
Poverty measures
When it came to poverty measures, B.C. also received a D-. However, the poverty, unemployment and food insecurity rates all received failing grades.
B.C.’s poverty rate, of 13 per cent from 2024 data, was the highest among provinces. Quebec had the lowest at seven per cent and Nunavut had the highest nationally at 31.7 per cent.
Canada received as F grade. The national poverty average is 11.1 per cent, which is an increase from the 7.4 per cent in 2023.
About 24 per cent of Canadians live in households experiencing food insecurity. Quebec, once again, reported the lowest provincial rate at 18 per cent and Nunavut recorded the highest at 56.4 per cent.