Constant Increase of Food Help Requests in the Outaouais

Constant Increase of Food Help Requests in the Outaouais

February 11, 2026

As elsewhere in the province of Quebec, food help in the Outaouais is no longer a one-time support, intended to help through difficult times. For an increasing number of families, it has become a regular response to persisting needs. The most recent projection update of the Quebec Food Banks (Banques alimentaires du Québec – BAQ), conducted by Aviseo Conseil in January 2026, confirms this new reality, indicating that the monthly provincial help requests will reach 3.9 million requests by 2028.  

These numbers indicate a deep-reaching transformation of the role played by food help organizations, a transformation that unfolds every day on the ground, particularly in the Outaouais.   

From Temporary Support to Everyday Pillar  

Historically, food banks and community organizations were created to respond to emergency or transitional situations. However, in the Outaouais, an increasing number of people receiving assistance now use these services on a regular basis, month after month, sometimes year after year.  

This constant growth modifies the very nature of the intervention:  

• Food needs are becoming continuous; 

• Real-life situations have gone from temporary to chronic; 

• Requests are no longer based on isolated crises, but rather on persistent economic imbalance. 

Moreover, Aviseo Conseil’s Study (2026) demonstrates that the request increase is no longer only due to cyclical shocks, but rather to structural factors such as demographic and immigration increases.  

Adapting Services in a Context of Strong Pressure  

In light of this new reality, organizations had no choice but to review their practices. Across the province of Quebec, close to 30% have reduced the content of their food baskets, while others have had to reduce the frequency of service provision. 

In the Outaouais, these adjustments bring on a permanent dilemma: reducing the quantity of help given to each family in order to respond to an increasing number of requests, or maintaining complete baskets for a restrained number of demands. These choices, although necessary, transform the reality of those receiving help, while forcing members of the field teams to make humanly draining decisions.