Food banks across Ontario expecting higher usage in 2025

As millions of Canadians struggle with food insecurity, food banks across Ontario continue to see record volumes of visits.

In Toronto, the Daily Bread Food Bank says the need has hit levels not seen in its 41-year history, recording 3.75 million visits this past year.

In 2020, the organization only saw roughly 600,000 clients a year.

“The Daily Bread Food Bank is sending about a million meals per week to the City of Toronto. That’s in response to a much larger problem, a problem of the lack of affordable housing, and a problem where individuals who are on income supports like disability simply do not have the incomes that they need to match their living expenses,” says Neil Hetherington, CEO of Daily Bread Food Bank.

With rising costs, experts warn that this trend could continue into the new year.

The Daily Bread Food Bank says they are anticipating an increase to roughly 4.25 million client visits in the new year.

Volunteer purchasing teams are worried that monetary donations won’t go far enough.

Devi Arasanayagam, co-founder of the Fort York Foodbank, says their team is thrifty about spending its budget, serving nearly 5,500 people a week.

“We stay up at night wondering what we’re gonna do or how we’re going to manage,” says Arasanayagamr.