The cost of living in Canada is soaring! International students excluded from food aid, community reaction strong
The food bank in Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada recently decided to refuse to provide assistance to first-year international students, against the backdrop of a nationwide surge in dependence on food banks.
The food bank pointed out that the Canadian government's economic requirements for international students indicate that they should have sufficient funds to pay for living expenses in their first year in Canada.
Currently, there are approximately 175000 international students from over 150 countries in British Columbia, with Indian students being a major group. The policy of rejecting international students has sparked heated discussions as rising inflation and increasing living costs have led more and more people, including students, to seek food aid.
Record breaking inflation and housing prices in Canada have led to unprecedented food security issues, resulting in record high visits to food banks. According to data from the Canadian Food Bank, the number of visits in March 2024 exceeded 2 million, almost twice the approximately 1 million monthly visits in March 2019.
This 90% growth highlights the impact of the dual blow of housing and food inflation. Kirstin Beardsley, President of the Canadian Food Bank, said, "This unimaginable growth rate is unbearable for the food bank and the Canadian people." She called for collective action to address this crisis.
The newly released '2024 Hunger Report' shows that nearly 70% of food bank visitors live in market rental housing, one-third are children, and the monthly visits are close to 700000.
In addition, data shows that 18% of food bank customers are employed, indicating that working Canadians also generally face economic difficulties. Data shows that 32% of food bank visitors are new immigrants, highlighting a significant increase in demand for food banks among new immigrants.
Image source: Anna Burns/ Surrey Now-Leader
The new policy of the Greater Vancouver Food Bank is based on federal regulations, requiring newly arrived international students to prove a living allowance of CAD 20635 in addition to tuition and travel expenses in order to be eligible for a study permit.
This policy will take effect on January 1, 2024, raising the cost of living requirement from CAD 10000 to over CAD 20000, reflecting the latest benchmark from Statistics Canada. The food bank believes that this amount should be sufficient to support students' first year of living in Canada, as food aid is aimed at economically disadvantaged residents who are not eligible.
However, critics point out that international students often face unexpected expenses, especially as their tuition fees are typically three to four times that of Canadian citizens. Baljit Kamoh, the regional director of Khalsa Aid Canada in Surrey, British Columbia, told local media that many students are not aware of the high cost of living, especially expenses beyond international tuition fees. His team distributes 200-300 food packages to students every month, especially with a significant increase in demand in the new semester.
The policy of excluding international students from food aid has sparked opposition from multiple parties. CityNews interviewed Jaskaran Singh, an international student activist from Team We Care Canada, who called the policy "shocking" and pointed out that many students lack family support and community resources in foreign countries.
Vancouver City Councilor Adriane Carr also called the policy "tragic" and said, "These students who come here to study should not go hungry during the learning process
This incident has sparked a debate about the funding sources and beneficiary qualifications of food banks. Some people believe that Canadian taxpayers providing funding for food banks should prioritize helping citizens; Some people also point out that international students contribute to campus resources and even certain food banks.
The Canadian Food Bank advocates for non discriminatory access and explicitly states in its Food Bank Code of Ethics that food banks should serve customers regardless of race, nationality, or citizenship. However, due to the current economic situation, many food banks have begun to implement stricter qualification standards to cope with the huge demand.
Image source: Surrey Food Bank
As poverty rates continue to rise, Beardsley and the Canadian Food Bank are calling on the government to adopt long-term solutions to address the root causes of food security issues.
The main suggestions are: increasing rental subsidies, expanding the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rebate for low-income groups, and providing more stable "food and essential goods welfare". Beardsley emphasized that "people need more income support today," and immediate income support is crucial to helping Canadians cope with inflationary pressures.
Yesmil Pena, coordinator of a food bank in Toronto, pointed out that the demand for elderly people is constantly increasing, with the largest demand being for infant formula, children's diapers, and adult diapers that are often in short supply.
The food bank had only five customers per week in 2021, but now it serves 250 people per week and even exceeds 300 people during peak hours.
This crisis not only affects food resources. Critics argue that Canada's immigration policies have led to an oversupply of foreign students, further exacerbating the pressure on housing, healthcare, and educational resources. Many private colleges charge significantly higher tuition fees to foreign students than to local students.
Under public scrutiny, Canada has recently imposed restrictions on certain immigration categories, including international students, in response to the ongoing housing crisis.
The Hunger Statistics report points out that without systematic intervention measures, Canada may face a worsening food security crisis, making it difficult for both local residents and international students to meet basic needs.
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