This is a joint opinion piece co-authored by Carolyn Stewart, CEO of Feed Ontario, and Neil Hetherington, CEO of Daily Bread Food Bank.
Over the last few months, the national conversation has shifted from the affordability crisis to the existential challenges of a trade war and threats of annexation. There has rightfully been a great deal of focus on how to keep Canada safe, strong and free. However, this discourse around maintaining our sovereignty is missing a critical piece: the importance of ensuring everyone in Canada can meet their basic needs, like household food security.
Achieving food security for all Canadians requires both a strong economy and a robust social safety net — one cannot be neglected in favour of the other. As food banks, we see firsthand how inadequate support programs drive up demand for food charities. While the call for stronger social supports is often framed in terms of human rights and morality (and rightfully so), we must also recognize the significant strategic importance of food security. When people are unable to meet their basic needs, it undermines and even threatens Canada’s resilience, safety and sovereignty.
The reality is that we are deep in the midst of a food insecurity crisis. Far too many of our neighbours are struggling to feed themselves and their families. Severe food insecurity has risen nearly 90% since the pandemic, with 1 in 16 Canadians reporting that they have no choice but to skip meals or go entire days without eating because they cannot afford the food they need (Statistics Canada). Across the country, this has resulted in record-high levels of food bank use. In Ontario, we surpassed a once-unfathomable milestone of more than 1 million people turning to a food bank for help last year. Toronto’s Daily Bread Food Bank saw over 3.75 million food bank visits in 2024, a historic high that’s over 4.5 times pre-pandemic levels and led to the city becoming one of three municipalities in the province to declare a food insecurity emergency. Growing demand is putting increased pressure on an already overstretched system. Even prior to the trade war and its potential impact, nearly half of the food banks in the Feed Ontario network had no choice but to reduce the amount of food provided because resources have not kept pace with the need in their communities. After facing eight consecutive years of growth in client visits — and with fewer people in a position to donate — food banks have reached a breaking point. The level of support they were once able to provide is no longer there, just when it is needed most.
We need our elected officials to pay attention. Experts in national security have warned Canadians that food insecurity is a major weakness that could be exploited by other countries that wish to destabilize and annex Canada. In a recent interview, Neil Bisson, director of the Global Intelligence Knowledge Network, said that “if you have individuals who are concerned about where their next meal is coming from or if they’re going to get a roof over their head, that supersedes sovereignty.” Ward Elcock, former Director of CSIS, agreed, saying “if Canada is really impoverished, people may start to think about [annexation].” Research shows that food insecurity contributes to civic unrest and political instability. In 2022 alone, food price crises led to riots in more than 20 countries.
Leaders at every level need to treat food insecurity for what it truly is — a warning sign of possible instability to come. While standing up against unjust tariffs is essential, so is investing in the social safety net that will keep Canadians from falling through the cracks. We’re calling upon policymakers to commit to more affordable housing, quality employment opportunities, and federal and provincial social supports that work together and not against each other. A strong nation is one that takes care of its people and ensures that no one is left behind. As we head to the polls to determine the future of our country, we must choose a Canada that is safe, secure and resilient — one that does not include hunger.
