Calgary Seniors Face Rising Food Insecurity as Costs Spike, First-Time Food Bank Use Soars

A new study by the Calgary Food Bank shows 64 percent of older Calgarians using its services are doing so for the first time.

The report cites the increased cost of living, limited savings, and insufficient retirement income as primary drivers.

Data from the 2024-2025 fiscal year showed seniors in Calgary were three times more likely to use the food bank compared to the general population.

"In a lot of cases, these are folks who did everything right. Nobody planned for these levels of inflation in their retirement years," said Melissa From, president and CEO of the Calgary Food Bank.

Other key findings include: 70 percent of seniors surveyed fear they cannot afford housing in the next year; over half worry about utility and medical bills; and 80 percent of non-retired adults say they cannot financially afford to retire.

The results were based on 30 interviews and 736 survey responses.