Feed Ontario released stark new data today: Over 1 million people in Ontario visited a food bank in the last year. Food banks in the province were visited 7.6 million times from April 2023 – March 2024, which is a 134% increase compared to the same period in 2019-2020.
“These numbers reflect the dire situation our network of food banks is seeing on the ground,” said Neil Hetherington, CEO, Daily Bread Food Bank. “Toronto is in a full-blown food insecurity crisis.”
Last year there were close to 3 million visits to Toronto food banks — a 50% increase compared to the year prior. Toronto’s high cost of living, stagnant wages and insufficient income supports continue to drive more people to our doors. Every month we are serving over 13,000 new, unique individuals — these are people who have never had to use emergency food services before.
These figures foreshadow a deepening crisis. Food banks are like the canary in the coal mine — for many, turning to food charities is the final safeguard preventing homelessness. Nearly 3 in 4 Toronto food bank clients (74%) spend over 50% of their income on rent, putting them at high risk of becoming unhoused (Who’s Hungry 2023). Close to 1 in 4 (23%) spend 100% of their income on housing, leaving nothing for food, clothing or any other basic need.
Unless the government steps in, the situation will continue to get worse. Feed Ontario reported that this is the eighth consecutive year food bank use has risen in the province. We demand government action — including a fully funded Canada Disability Benefit — to intervene and reverse this trend. Every visit to a food bank is a public policy failure: It is the government’s duty to ensure everyone can realize their right to food. With appropriate income supports, decent employment and affordable housing, everyone will be able to access the food they need.
Take action now to support fellow Ontarians facing food insecurity. Here are seven ways you can make a difference today.
