Feed Ontario released recent data which found that Ontarians are drowning amid the surging affordability crisis. According to the research, over 1 million people in Ontario visited a food bank in the last year. Feed Ontario also reported that Ontario food banks were visited 7.6 million times between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024 – which is a 134% increase from 2019-2020. This data marks an all-time high for food bank usage – the eighth consecutive year food bank use has risen in the province.
The research found the main drivers of food insecurity in Ontario include the cost of living and a heightened economic vulnerability. Feed Ontario notes policy decisions, including the state of social support programs, a lack of affordable housing, and growth in precarious work situations as key causes. The increase in demand places pressure on the food bank system, with 69% of food banks in the Feed Ontario network reporting concerns about lacking food to adequately provide support to those in need, and 53% raising concerns about having enough funding to adequately meet the demand.
For further information about the research or to access additional key findings, click here.