It finds that over that period more than half a million adults and children accessed an Ontario food bank — an increase of 15 per cent over the last three years.
"People are having to make incredibly difficult decisions,” said Feed Ontario Executive Director Carolyn Stewart. “Do I keep a roof over my head or do I buy food, do pay for transportation to work or do I buy my children winter clothing?"
When asked why they needed to use a food bank, nearly 46 per cent said the cost of food, and 13 per cent cited the cost of housing. Meanwhile, roughly 10 per cent said their wages were too low, or they weren't getting enough hours at work.
"It is the greatest system challenge that we've ever faced,” according to London Food Bank Co-Executive Director Glen Pearson.
Pearson said there are signs that people's capacity to donate may be nearing a peak, and that those who once donated are now having to visit a food bank.
"The donor base, you can't keep going to them and say 'Give more, give more, give more' when they too are going through inflation and the price of food and all that stuff,” he said.
As challenging as the current circumstances are, Pearson said we can expect some announcements in the near future on made-in-London solutions involving corporations and the agriculture community that could make a difference.
Pearson believes the approaches being discussed will reduce the reliance on donors and will provide healthy locally grown food. He also believes the concepts could be utilized in locations across the province.
Still, Stewart said governments at all levels must do their part to address issues like housing costs and livable social supports.
"The way to address food insecurity here in this province isn't through food-banking but rather through good public policy changes so that we make food banks unnecessary,” he said.
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A team of preteen Ukrainian refugees that have been scattered across Europe by war arrived Wednesday in Quebec City, where they'll get the chance to compete in a renowned hockey tournament.
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The organization regulating medical care and services in Manitoba is apologizing for racism directed towards Indigenous people when accessing health care in the province.
Calgary police are looking for suspects involved in an altercation that lasted for approximately an hour, spanned several communities and ended with a gun being fired.
Tsuut'ina Nation Police Service officials are encouraging any local victims to come forward following the arrest of actor Nathan Lee Chasing Horse in Las Vegas on sex assault charges.
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Changes to the amount of time the public gets to voice their opinion during Surrey City Council meetings has caused controversy among former councillors.
