More than one million people visited an Ontario food bank in the last year, data shows

A volunteer places products on shelves at the Kanata Food Cupboard, Friday, Oct. 7, 2022 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

More than a million people living in Ontario visited a food bank in the last year as food prices soared across the country, according to new data released by a network of hunger-relief organizations.

Feed Ontario, a network of more than 1,200 food banks and hunger-relief organizations across the province, released the record-breaking data on Tuesday. The group said that 1,001,150 people visited a food bank between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024, which marks an increase of 25 per cent over last year.

“One million not having enough food, one million having to make impossible choices, paying rent or choosing groceries. One million unable to keep their heads above water and in need of help,” Feed Ontario CEO Carolyn Stewart said during a press conference.

“When did we start accepting that people going hungry is OK? That it's OK for some to thrive while we leave others drowning? Housing costs are too high, incomes aren't keeping up, social supports aren't keeping up with those who rely on them. People are drowning in the rising tide of unaffordability.”

The data released on Tuesday showed that people using food banks were responsible for an “unprecedented” 7.6 million visits during the past year, which represents a 134 per cent jump from 2019-2020.

“Food banks cannot keep up with the unprecedented need they’re seeing,” said Stewart. “Across the province, we are hearing reports of long lines, empty shelves, and a growing concern that some food banks may have to close their doors.”

The organization stated in a news release on Tuesday that its data showed the main driver of food insecurity in Ontario is the rapid spike in the cost of living as well the “heightened economic vulnerability that is being felt throughout the province.”

According to the data, 69 per cent of food banks that are part of the Feed Ontario network are concerned about not having enough food to adequately provide support to those in need, and 53 per cent worry about having enough funding to adequately meet the demand in their areas.

“Food banks were only ever designed to be a temporary measure. They were never meant to patch holes left in our weak social safety nets. Food bank use has only continued to climb as more Ontarians find themselves struggling to make ends meet,” Stewart said. “When will our governments say enough is enough and take meaningful action against food insecurity and poverty?”

The organization says policy decisions, including “the erosion of social support programs, a failure to adequately invest in affordable housing, and the growth of precarious work” are leaving Ontario residents struggling.

The organization is calling on the provincial government to develop a stronger poverty reduction strategy to ensure those who are struggling in Ontario can access “a basic standard of living.”

It is also advocating for improvements to Ontario’s social assistance programs, better employment opportunities and investments to make the cost of living more affordable.

Kirstin Beardsley, CEO of Food Banks Canada, a charitable organization representing the food bank community across Canada, said on Tuesday that they are tired of hearing year-after-year record-breaking numbers on food bank use.

“We are tired of breaking records, tired of saying things are worse, tired of feeling like governments who should be responding with urgency aren't hearing our alarm bells,” she said. “We're not talking about numbers. It’s about real people with real stories walking through our doors.

Meghan Nicholls, CEO for Food Banks Mississauga, said on Tuesday that the City of Mississauga is seeing the fastest increase in food bank use in Ontario and in the rest of Canada.

She stated that residents in the city living with food insecurity increased by 58 per cent over the past year. She added that there are 42 per cent more children using food banks in the city. In 2019, one in 37 people were using food banks and now it is one in 13, she said.

“We rely solely on donations, and now, the rising cost of living is impacting our donors. Many who used to give to the food bank are now using it. We need donations more than ever,” she said.

“The growing number of food bank visitors is a clear indication of the ongoing economic challenges facing many in our community and the lack of government action in improving social services. This fall, we’re bracing ourselves for a tidal wave of increased demand.”