A record number of people are relying on food banks in the Greater Toronto Area, with one major charity now serving the equivalent of 10% of Toronto’s population as affordability pressures continue to mount.Neil Hetherington, chief executive officer of Daily Bread Food Bank, told the House of Commons finance committee that food bank visits in Toronto reached an unprecedented 4.1 million last year, highlighting what he described as a worsening crisis.“We now feed 1 in 10 Torontonians,” Hetherington told MPs.Blacklock''s Reporter said The Daily Bread network, which supports 214 food banks and food programs across the city, has seen demand rise dramatically in recent years.“For context, it took us 28 years to get to 1,000,000 visits, two years to get to 2,000,000 visits, one year to get to 3,000,000 visits and here we are now at 4,100,000 visits,” he said.Hetherington described the figures as “staggering” and pointed to changing demographics among those seeking food assistance.Asked by Conservative MP Connie Cody whether food bank users had changed over time, Hetherington said one trend stood out.“The one I think is most alarming is that the highest growth rate right now is individuals between 19 and 44,” he said.“Sixty percent of them have a postsecondary education and 50% of them have full-time employment. They’ve done everything right. They went to school, they got a job.”.In a written submission to the finance committee, Daily Bread Food Bank urged the federal government to introduce a tax incentive for farmers and greenhouse operators who donate fresh food to charities.The organization proposed a permanent, non-refundable 50% tax credit based on the fair market value of fresh food donated to registered charities and community food programs.“This would help food banks meet rising demand, reduce food waste and support Canadian farmers,” the submission stated.The recommendation echoes a long-standing proposal from Food Banks Canada, which has advocated for a national fresh food tax credit since 2016.The testimony comes amid broader concerns about food insecurity among younger Canadians.A 2025 Food Banks Canada report submitted to the Commons human resources committee found that 28% of young adults surveyed said they had skipped meals because they could not afford food, while 20% had obtained food from a community organization at no cost.The survey, based on responses from 1,500 Canadians between the ages of 18 and 24 and conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights, found rising living costs were the most commonly cited source of financial stress.Among respondents, 42% blamed the rising cost of living for their financial difficulties, while 38% pointed to low wages. Another 23% cited high gas prices and 16% said a spouse’s unemployment was contributing to financial hardship.“Something is not working,” Food Banks Canada said in its submission.
