‘Why am I getting so little pension?’ Quebec woman turns to food bank, can’t make ends meet

'When you see your grandma coming through the door, your great-aunt, that hits home and you realize everybody is affected,' the executive director of the West Island Mission said.

This story is part of an ongoing Global News series called Slammed: Montreal’s Food Bank Crisis, which explores how these non-profits are straining under increased need.

When Maria Pagliuca imagined her golden years, she saw herself maybe doing a bit of travelling and just enjoying the fruits of her labour.

“I thought I was saving to go on vacation,” she said of her retirement savings.

What she never imagined, however, was having to rely on a Montreal food bank to get by.

The 67-year-old, who lives in Pointe-Claire on Montreal’s West Island, said she started collecting her pension when she was 60 but kept working until she was 65.

Despite putting money aside, Pagliuca’s not sure retiring is something she can afford.

“It’s been like a year and a half that I’m not working. But believe me, I’m thinking about going back,” she said.

At $1,200 a month, her pension doesn’t even cover her housing needs.