Use of Ontario Food Banks Rose 38 Percent Last Year, Reaching ‘Crisis Level,’ Report Says

Food bank use has “reached a crisis level” in Ontario, rising 38 percent in the last year, a report released by Feed Ontario has found. More than 800,000 people in the province used a food bank between April 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023, the highest single-year increase ever reported, according to Hunger Report 2023. Written by Feed Ontario, a collective of hunger relief organizations, the report indicates that nearly 5.9 million food bank visits were made last year, a 36 percent increase over the previous year and a 101 percent rise over pre-pandemic numbers. First-time visitors were also at an all-time high, accounting for two out of five people who used food banks last year, a 41 percent increase from the 2021–2022 fiscal year, the report said, adding that food bank usage has increased every year for the last seven years....