A troubling new report reveals that economic hardship is forcing a record number of Toronto residents to rely on food banks, with over one in ten people now seeking assistance to survive. The 2024 "Who’s Hungry" report, published by the Daily Bread Food Bank, paints a bleak picture of life in Canada’s largest city, which is struggling under rising food and housing costs that have hit families hard.The report points to the impact of the federal government’s policies, including the carbon tax, which has added $700 to the average family’s annual food expenses. Combined with high inflation, stagnating wages, and soaring rent, these costs have left food bank clients in Toronto with just $7.78 per person, per day for food after covering rent and utilities.Toronto food banks reported 3.49 million visits this year — a staggering increase of nearly one million visits compared to last year, and a 273% increase since before the pandemic. This includes 155,000 new users who have never used food banks before, reflecting a 222% increase in new clients in just two years. Of particular concern is that nearly half of food bank users are employed, highlighting the deep strain even working Canadians are facing.The CEO of the Daily Bread Food Bank remarked on the severity of the situation, noting, “It is unfathomable that the number of client visits to food banks is now higher than the City of Toronto's entire population … our governments cannot continue to stand by as people are pushed further into poverty.”This situation is not isolated to Toronto. Across Canada, food bank visits reached an unprecedented 2,059,636 in March 2024, an increase of 90 percent since 2019, as reported by Food Banks Canada.The federal Conservatives have responded to the findings by promising to eliminate the carbon tax, cut back on bureaucratic costs, and increase housing construction. They argue that reducing taxes and increasing housing affordability will bring relief to Canadians struggling with high living costs.
