Toronto Declares Food Insecurity an Emergency: More than 1 in 10 Torontonians Face Hunger as Crisis Grows Beyond Capacity

TORONTO, Jan. 27, 2025 /CNW/ - In a historic move, Toronto City Council has declared food insecurity an emergency, drawing attention to a systemic crisis that impacts over 1 in 10 Torontonians. This declaration underscores the urgent need for collective action as the city faces the rising demand for food assistance.

"Toronto declaring food insecurity an emergency should be a wake-up call for all levels of government, organizations, and communities," said Ryan Noble, Executive Director of North York Harvest Food Bank. "Food insecurity is not just a statistic—it's a daily reality for individuals, families, seniors, and children right here in our community."

North York Harvest Food Bank: A System Under Strain

As the primary food distribution hub for northern Toronto, North York Harvest Food Bank is struggling to meet the overwhelming and escalating demand for food assistance. The warehouse, which is vital to operations, is failing under the pressure of its current limitations, with serious structural issues and insufficient capacity that hinder the ability to provide food to those who need it most.

• Structural Issues: The warehouse roof leaks, creating unsafe conditions and causing damage to critical food supplies.
• Cold Storage Deficiencies: There is inadequate cold storage, making it impossible to properly store and distribute perishable items like milk, cheese, eggs, fruits, vegetables, and proteins.
• Dry Storage Shortages: A lack of sufficient dry storage limits the ability to accept and efficiently distribute donated goods, further complicating operations.
• Operational Impact: These challenges are slowing food distribution at a time when the citywide need has reached alarming levels—food banks in Toronto saw 3.49 million visits in 2024, a staggering increase from 935,000 visits in 2019.

"Our warehouse, the heart of our operations, is no longer equipped to serve the needs of our community," Noble added. "It rains inside, we're out of space, and our cold storage is inadequate. These critical issues are directly limiting our ability to get food to the people who need it most."

Systemic Action Needed

While the City of Toronto joins Mississauga and Kingston in declaring food insecurity an emergency, declarations alone are insufficient to resolve this growing crisis. North York Harvest is calling for:

• Infrastructure Investments: Immediate funding to help us build a safe, efficient warehouse that can handle the growing demand for food assistance.
• Community Collaboration: We call on local businesses, community groups, and individuals to join with us and confront this crisis together. Whether through corporate sponsorships, volunteering, in-kind donations, food drives and awareness campaigns to support our work – every effort makes a difference.

As the crisis deepens, North York Harvest is urging individuals and organizations to take action. Donations, corporate partnerships, and volunteer support are essential to ensuring that everyone in the community has access to the food they need.

For more information or to support North York Harvest Food Bank, visit northyorkharvest.com.

SOURCE North York Harvest Food Bank

Media Contact: Natasha Bowes, Director of Development & Marketing, [email protected], 416-346-2069; Michelle Rowe-Jardine, Communications and Media Relations Specialist, [email protected], 416-409-4032