1 million people now using Ontario food banks: report

The demand on food banks in Ontario continues to rise.

Feed Ontario says one million people accessed a food bank this year.

Chief Executive Officer Carolyn Stewart says the 8.7 million visits represent a 13% increase over last year.

“It’s really pushing more families from just getting by to barely holding on,” says Stewart.

“We’ve seen a 165% increase in visits since pre-pandemic numbers.”

Of those who visited, a third were first-time users.

One in three were children, while 25% were employed but struggled to make ends meet.

“Persistently high food bank use is a warning that Ontario’s biggest challenges are going to get even worse,” says Stewart.

“When more than one million people can’t afford food, it’s not just a hunger crisis, it’s a sign that increased homelessness, strain on the health care system, and community instability are soon to follow.”

Feed Ontario’s report also finds that two-thirds of the province’s food banks worry that they will not be able to sustain their operations over the next six months.

One in every ten has already reduced services because they do not have enough food to meet the demand.

“Food banks are working tirelessly to meet demand and, in some cases, are preventing many of the province’s biggest challenges from getting worse,” says Stewart.

“But the need for help is outpacing the resources available, and food banks may soon have no choice but to turn people away.”

Feed Ontario has lobbied for increases to the Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Payment rates and more investments in affordable housing to ease the pressure.

The province is currently developing a new poverty reduction strategy, the agency hopes will lay the foundation for a more coordinated approach to the issue.