One in 10 Torontonians Now Using Food Banks as Cost of Living Crisis Deepens
With local elections just months away, voters are being urged to put food insecurity at the top of their minds when choosing their next leaders. Neil Hetherington, CEO of the Daily Bread Food Bank, says the numbers paint a stark picture: one in 10 Torontonians now relies on food banks, a figure he called “disgusting” and one that demands urgent action from politicians at every level of government.
“You can ask, ‘I heard that one in 10 Torontonians needs to use the food bank. What are you going to do to ensure that food bank use decreases in our city?'” Hetherington said in an interview. “It’s that simple. One in 10. This is disgusting and we have to change it.”
Toronto Launches Grocery Store Pilot Project
In March, the City of Toronto announced a pilot project to open four nonprofit, city-operated grocery stores in neighborhoods with lower average household incomes and limited access to full-service food retailers. The initiative aims to make food more affordable for residents in underserved communities, though questions remain about its long-term viability.
Hetherington expressed skepticism about the pilot’s ability to compete with the private sector without what he described as “mass subsidies,” noting that the central question will come down to “how much subsidy the city wants and for whom.”
Federal Government Unveils $3-Billion Food Security Strategy
Approximately two months after the city’s announcement, the federal government launched its National Food Security Strategy, a sweeping plan expected to invest $3 billion over 10 years. The strategy targets new and expanded food terminals and centers, support for independent businesses, boosting domestic food production, and reducing red tape for the agricultural sector.
While some observers have praised the federal initiative for addressing long-ignored problems, Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab, criticized it for lacking a “clear vision, measurable goals and long-term commitment.”
A Necessary Step for Food Sovereignty
Hetherington offered a more measured assessment, calling the strategy a “very necessary exercise in ensuring that we are a sovereign nation when it comes to food.” He highlighted its goals of boosting year-round fruit and vegetable production and reducing Canada’s dependence on countries like the United States for food imports.
However, he cautioned that the investment would not necessarily lead to a reduction in food bank usage. “What comes out of this investment is that from a food security perspective, from a national security perspective, we will grow our food,” he said. “We will be less dependent on the international fluctuations that occur because we are investing in things like food terminals; we are trying our best to increase competition in grocery stores.”
Food Insecurity Rooted in Income Inequality
Hetherington emphasized that food insecurity is ultimately a symptom of income inequality. Toronto’s food banks saw a record 4,124,313 visits last year, a more than three-fold increase since the start of the pandemic, underscoring the scale of the challenge facing the city.
Addressing the root causes, he argued, means making adjustments to the National Housing Strategy, disability benefits, and tackling inflation. “These are the root causes, and there are opportunities for all levels of government to get involved in addressing these issues,” he said.
Mayoral Debate to Tackle Poverty and Food Security
At the municipal level, voters will have a direct opportunity to hear from Toronto’s mayoral candidates on the issue. Daily Bread is hosting the city’s first mayoral debate on August 24, where candidates will be asked to outline their plans for reducing poverty and food insecurity.
“It’s critically important that each of the candidates come to the table and talk about what role the city plays in reducing poverty, how they can negotiate with the province, how they can work with the government to make sure that what we have right now, with one in 10 Torontonians using the Daily Bread Food Bank, how do we see that turned around,” Hetherington said.
As the cost of living crisis continues to grip the city, the debate is expected to be a pivotal moment for candidates to demonstrate how they plan to address one of Toronto’s most pressing issues.
