Daily Bread Food Bank to host first debate of Toronto's 2026 mayoral election

TORONTO, June 25, 2026 /CNW/ - Daily Bread Food Bank, in partnership with community organizations across Toronto, will host the first mayoral debate of the 2026 election on Monday, Aug. 24, at 6:30 p.m. ET at its headquarters at 191 New Toronto St.

Moderated by Neil Hetherington, CEO of Daily Bread Food Bank, the debate will challenge candidates to outline their plans for addressing Toronto's affordability crisis, including how they would tackle food insecurity, housing affordability and poverty.

"Today, one in 10 Torontonians relies on a food bank to get by. In a city as prosperous as Toronto, that should be a wake-up call for every elected leader," said Hetherington. "This debate is an opportunity for residents to hear directly from mayoral candidates about their vision for the city, how they plan to tackle the affordability crisis and how they will work with other orders of government to deliver meaningful change for people struggling to make ends meet."

This event will bring candidates together with community members from across the city, including food bank clients and advocates from food banks, multi-service agencies, housing organizations and women's rights groups.

The debate comes as Toronto faces record levels of need. Food bank visits reached an all-time high last year of 4.1 million, a more than 340-per-cent increase compared with pre-pandemic levels. Rising housing costs and broader economic pressures continue to push more residents toward financial hardship.

Additional details, including participating candidates, broadcast information and community partners, will be announced in the coming weeks.

About Daily Bread Food Bank

Since 1983, the Daily Bread Food Bank has been working to end hunger in our city-- meeting immediate needs while advocating for long-term solutions to end poverty. 

Operating without government funding, Daily Bread distributes over 35 million pounds of food annually from our Community Food Hub in Etobicoke to a network of 214 programs across the city. This means we can turn every $1 donated into one meal for Torontonians facing food insecurity. Through our research and advocacy work, Daily Bread collaborates with partners across the sector to advance everyone's right to food and drive meaningful policy change. To learn more, visit dailybread.ca.

SOURCE Daily Bread Food Bank

Media Contact: Katie Duklas, [email protected]