Food Banks Alberta reports critical shortage amid 33% jump in August demand

Food Banks Alberta faces a critical food and financial donation shortage while demand surges across the province. In August alone, the volume of food distributed to member food banks jumped 32.8 per cent compared to August 2025.

The organization, which supplies 112 member food banks across Alberta, has already distributed over two million pounds of food—roughly 60 per cent of the 3.36 million pounds distributed in the entirety of 2025. The warehouse now has 350 empty spaces meant for food pallets that remain unfilled.

Executive director Darryl Burry warned that food banks are being forced to make tough decisions about who gets served and how much. Families that previously received seven days' worth of food each month are now receiving only enough for five days. "Because numbers have increased so much, and donations typically have not kept pace, now food banks are having to figure out how they can keep their operations alive," Burry said.

Alberta saw 210,541 average monthly food bank visits in 2025, a 21.8 per cent jump over the previous year. While the 2026 Hunger Count numbers will be released in October, Burry expects another significant increase in requests.

Burry appealed to manufacturers, producers, processors and distributors for bulk donations—pallets of food, excess inventory, and short-dated products. He also urged individual Edmontonians not to wait until year-end to support their local food banks. "My request would be that, as you're thinking about what you as an individual can do to support your local food bank, don't wait until the end of the year. Give that support now because there's a critical, immediate need for that support."