Toronto’s food insecurity crisis has escalated to “crisis levels,” according to a newly released report. The annual “Who’s Hungry” profile exposes the dire situation where one in ten people in the city now depend on food banks for their meals. This represents a significant increase compared to 2022 when only half as many residents relied on food assistance.
The report highlights the staggering number of visits to food banks in the city, underscoring the growing reliance on non-profit organizations to meet basic nutritional needs. Ryan Noble from the North York Harvest Food Bank and Neil Hetherington of the Daily Bread Food Bank jointly emphasized the severity of the situation, stating, “Food banks are at their breaking point. Food is a human right, yet governments are failing to ensure every person living in Canada can live a life of dignity.”
The findings of the report are based on data from 79 participating food banks and 1,384 individuals who use these services. It reveals a total of 2.5 million food bank visits between April 2022 and March 2023, marking a stark annual increase of over 50 percent.
The surge in food bank visits was particularly pronounced in different parts of the city, with Etobicoke experiencing a 66 percent increase, central Toronto seeing a 50 percent rise, and North York reporting a 54 percent increase. Even in Scarborough, where the increase was comparatively smaller at 36 percent, there were still over 750,000 visits recorded.
The report offers little respite, as it notes that “every single food insecurity indicator measured” has worsened compared to previous reports. High living costs force individuals to make impossible choices, as illustrated by the report. For example, one individual interviewed, Marigold, who relies on a Toronto-area food bank, has been unable to work since the pandemic but does not qualify for government-funded disability support. This leaves her with the difficult choice of paying for medical expenses, internet, rent, or food.
The report identifies various factors contributing to the crisis, including skyrocketing rent costs, wages that do not keep pace with the cost of living, and exorbitant transit expenses. Many residents are forced to make sacrifices in essential areas to afford housing. The report also reveals that 69 percent of people rely on public transit to reach food banks, but only 39 percent of eligible individuals receive fare discounts.
The “Who’s Hungry” report calls on elected officials to take action, including providing funding for public transit and improving non-profit housing options where rents are more stable and less prone to rapid increases compared to the overall market.