Montreal food bank raises prices for first time in 13 years
Information alimentaire populaire Centre-Sud increased basket costs from $3 to $5 after donations dropped, leaving low-income clients with fewer groceries and some choosing not to return.
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A food bank in the Village is charging more for baskets than it has in over a decade—a sign of how tighter food supplies are squeezing the organizations that serve Montreal's poorest residents.
Information alimentaire populaire Centre-Sud raised the price from $3 to $5 this January, the first increase since 2012. General manager Kateline McDonnell said the move was forced by shrinking deliveries from Moisson Montréal, one of their main food suppliers.
"We try to get what we can in there, but people have definitely noticed a decrease," McDonnell said. Where baskets once overflowed with produce, pasta, and rice, selections are now thin. The organization has started buying its own food to fill the gaps—adding thousands in annual costs.
The effect was immediate. Client visits dropped 30 per cent after the price went up. McDonnell said former regulars stopped coming entirely. "Two dollars is a huge amount" when you're already struggling with rent and utilities, she said.
The squeeze reflects a broader trend: fewer charitable donations reaching food banks at the same time living costs keep climbing. For the people who need these baskets most, even a small price jump means choosing between groceries and something else.