When considering communities experiencing food insecurity, Ontario’s Regional Municipality of York may not immediately come to mind. However, while some of the cities and towns in York Region may be considered prosperous, small pockets of rising affluence are concealing areas of deepening poverty. According to the 2021 Census Report, 8.8% of households in York Region were living on low income.
Food insecurity is a public health crisis that negatively impacts people’s physical, mental, and social health. The current trend of rising food insecurity in Canada has been linked to the skyrocketing costs of food and rent, the lack of affordable housing, insufficient provincial social assistance rates, and income equality. As a result, for a growing percentage of Canadians not able to earn enough income to meet their basic needs, food banks are critical to helping to bridge the gap.
For more information on food scarcity and the reasons behind it in Ontario, see Feed Ontario’s 2023 Hunger Report.
Feed Ontario 2023 Report
For more information on food scarcity and hunger facts in Canada, read Food Banks Canada’s 2023 Hunger Count Report.
Food Banks Canada 2023 Report
For more information on food insecurity in York Region, read the Food Bank of York Region’s 2022 Report on Hunger in York Region.
Food Bank of York Region's 2022 Report
York Region's 2022 Nutritious Food Basket report reveals that for many low-income households in York Region healthy eating is not affordable.
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