TORONTO, Dec. 1, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Feed Ontario's Hunger 2025 reportA report released today warns that rising use of food banks is an indicator that homelessness, pressure on the health system and instability within communities will increase unless immediate action is taken.
The report also found that more than 1 million Ontarians needed a food bank last year, visiting hunger services more than 8.7 million times across the province. This marks the ninth consecutive year of growth and the highest level of demand ever.
“The continued strong use of food banks is a warning that Ontario's biggest problems are about to get worse,” says Carolyn Stewart, CEO of Feed Ontario. “When more than a million people can't afford food, it's not just a hunger crisis, it's a sign that rising homelessness, strain on the health care system and social instability will soon follow.”
Key Findings Hunger 2025 report:
- Hunger and homelessness: Compared to provincial homelessness data, Hunger 2025 report found that increases in food bank use often precede a spike in homelessness. As visits to food banks rise, they say another surge in homelessness is on the horizon as more Ontarians struggle to afford rent and the cost of living.
- Hunger and healthcare: The report highlights that Ontarians living on low incomes are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases and be hospitalized for reasons that could otherwise be treated outside of hospital. The report also found that poverty-related health care costs cost the province an additional $6.2 billion a year.
- Hunger and the well-being of society: The report argues that faced with job losses, unstable or poor-quality work and high unemployment, communities are becoming vulnerable. Without a sense of economic security or faith that the situation will improve, social unrest and instability may follow.
“Food banks are working tirelessly to meet demand and, in some cases, preventing many of the province's biggest problems from getting worse,” Stewart says. “But the need for help outstrips available resources, and food banks may soon have no choice but to turn people away.”
As detailed in the report, food banks are struggling to meet demand, with more than half of food banks reporting concerns about food shortages or not having enough food to sustain their operations over the next six months. Further, one in ten said they had already been forced to cut services because they were not enough for the number of people seeking help from them.
The 2025 Hunger Report makes key recommendations on how the province can begin to address these challenges, including a new approach to poverty reduction and immediate investments that will help Ontarians today.
“We need immediate action to fight hunger and poverty before Ontario's biggest problems become even more difficult to solve,” says Stewart. “Hunger is hitting Ontario and we need bold action now.”
Supporting data:
General uses of the food bank:
- More than 1 million Ontarians needed food bank help
- There were 8.7 million visits to hunger relief services, a staggering 13% increase in just one year.
- This marks the ninth consecutive year of rising demand as more families move from just getting by to barely hanging on.
Who uses food banks:
- Every third person visited a food bank for the first time
- Every third person was a child under 18 years of age.
- Every third person was disabled
- One in four were working but still couldn't earn enough to make ends meet.
- Three out of four were tenants in the rental market
- There are twice as many elderly people as there were just five years ago because their fixed incomes have not kept pace with the rising cost of living.
Opportunities and challenges of a food bank:
- Two out of three food banks are concerned they will not be able to sustain their operations over the next six months.
- One in two are worried they won't have enough food to meet growing demand
- One in ten have already been forced to cut services because they do not have enough food to support everyone who needs help.
About Feed Ontario:
Feed Ontario brings together food banks, industry partners and local communities in its work to end poverty and hunger, from providing sources of fresh and healthy food to driving change through policy research and innovative programs. Join Feed Ontario and help build a healthier province. Every dollar raised provides the equivalent of two meals a day to an Ontarian suffering from hunger. Find out more at www.feedontario.ca.
For more information, photos or videos, contact:
Andrea Waters | Ontario Feed | [email protected] | 416-656-4100 x2941
The photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e56fc051-017a-4460-8697-568c3bdd37a1
