Not much changed down at Queen’s Park after last week’s provincial election.
Hunger is still on the political agenda. Like other food banks across Ontario, Daily Bread continues to see a steady rise in food bank visits.
Alongside that, or perhaps driven by that, there is the steeply rising cost of food (9.7% in April, year-over-year), straining household budgets. Housing affordability is still hurting those with the fewest resources the most. People who are on social assistance and those in precarious jobs are the least able to absorb these new inflationary shocks.
So Daily Bread is facing record demand for food.
2022-2023 projections say the number of people coming though our doors will continue to grow in the foreseeable future unless some serious policy interventions occur.
The solution to hunger in the city is three-fold. It lies with more affordable housing, sustainably-paying jobs in a strong economy, and social assistance rates which support a basic, dignified standard of living. These three are the deeper, upstream policy solutions we called to be included in the party planks when we met with them all last year. In order to eliminate food insecurity, we continue to advocate around income and housing.
So, while our daily work is to feed the city, Daily Bread always looks to partner with the new government and advance our common interest of a strong Ontario where no one has to rely on charity for their next meal.
