Record-Breaking 1 Million Ontarians Used Food Banks in Past Year

More than one million Ontarians visited a food bank during the last fiscal year, a 25 percent increase compared to the year prior, according to a new report by Feed Ontario.
Ontario food banks were visited a total of 7.6 million times between April 2023 and March 2024, a 134 percent increase over the 2019 to 2020 fiscal year, according to the organization. Food Canada said the trend indicates the need for food banks is continuing to grow, with 2024 marking an all-time high for usage and the eighth consecutive year of growth.
Stewart said food banks have been unable to keep up with demand, with some seeing long lines, empty shelves, and a growing concern they may have to close their doors. According to Feed Ontario, 69 percent of food banks in the network are worried about not having the food they need to support Ontarians, while 53 percent are concerned about not having enough funding to meet demand.
“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,” Stewart said.