Ontario food banks ‘cannot keep up’ as usage reaches 8-year high

Ontario food banks “cannot keep up” as usage has reached an eight-year high, a new report reveals.

Feed Ontario, a food bank network in the province, released new data Tuesday showing that 1,001,150 Ontarians visited a food bank at least once between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024, an increase of 25 per cent over the same time period in 2022-23.

“When we released record-breaking data last year, we thought that was the high-water mark. But food bank use has only continued to climb as more Ontarians find themselves struggling to make ends meet,” Carolyn Stewart, CEO of Feed Ontario, said in a news release.

“When will our governments say enough is enough and take meaningful action against food insecurity and poverty?”

Feed Ontario’s report showed the main drivers of food insecurity continue to be cost of living and a “heightened economic vulnerability” in the province.

It elaborated on that point by highlighting policy decisions like the “erosion of social support programs, a failure to adequately invest in affordable housing, and the growth of precarious work” as reasons why Ontarians can’t keep up.

That pressure trickles down to food banks, it added, saying 69 per cent of Ontario food banks are concerned about not having enough food to meet demand – as witnessed in southern Ontario earlier this year.

It added that 53 per cent worry about having enough funding to adequately meet the demand in their areas.

That being said, 2023-24 is the eighth consecutive year food bank use has risen in the province.

Ontario food banks were visited 7,689,580 times between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024, an increase of 31 per cent over 2022-23 and 134 per cent over 2019-20.

“Food banks cannot keep up with the unprecedented need they’re seeing,” Stewart said.

“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.”

With more people struggling to make ends meet, Feed Ontario said in its report that likely means fewer people are able to help food banks stay afloat with donations and support.

In June, Food Banks Canada released a report suggesting the number of Canadians living in poverty may be higher than previously thought.

The organization estimates 25 per cent of Canadians could fall under this category because they can’t afford two or more household essentials.

When it comes to policy, Feed Ontario is calling on the Ford government to develop a new poverty reduction strategy to ensure those who are struggling can access a basic standard of living.

Heather Hayes, executive director of the Orangeville Food Bank, said at a news conference Tuesday food banks are no longer “an emergency response” for people in need.

“We are the safety net for many in our community,” she said.

“There is no problem so great that it cannot be solved, but policy change is what is going to bring us back from this crisis so quickly.”

Meanwhile, Feed Ontario is asking all Ontarians to get involved in September, which is Hunger Action Month. It’s calling on Ontarians to both support their local food bank and advocate for policy changes.

“Food banks were only ever designed to be a temporary measure,” Stewart said.

“They were never meant to patch holes left in our weak social safety nets. We need to act now.”