Oct 27, 2025

4.1 Million Food Bank Visits Reveal Record Depth of Poverty in Toronto

Hunger in Toronto has never been this widespread, or this entrenched. Over half (54%) of Who’s Hungry report respondents visit food banks three or more times per month, up from 43% last year — evidence of a crisis that now sees more than one in ten Torontonians relying on food banks to get by.

Food banks across the city are straining under record demand as more working families, seniors, and newcomers are forced to rely on food charity to survive. The safety net that once protected people from poverty is unravelling, leaving tens of thousands without enough to eat in one of the most expensive cities in the world.

On Monday, October 27, Daily Bread Food Bank and North York Harvest Food Bank will release Who’s Hungry 2025, an annual report that exposes the deepening crisis of food insecurity and poverty in Toronto. The report reveals that hunger in Toronto is becoming harder to escape. People are turning to food banks more often and for longer periods of time, even while working multiple jobs or holding post-secondary degrees that would once have safeguarded them from poverty.

“Every food bank visit is a policy failure,” says Neil Hetherington, CEO, Daily Bread Food Bank. “Charity alone cannot solve a crisis this deep. It’s time for coordinated action from all levels of government.”

“This isn’t just a crisis of food—it’s a crisis of income, housing, and affordability,” says Ryan Noble, Executive Director, North York Harvest Food Bank. “Toronto is one of the wealthiest cities in the world, yet thousands of our neighbours are going hungry.”

Key Findings from Who’s Hungry 2025:

Food bank visits reached 4,124,313 — a 340% increase since before the pandemic, and the highest ever recorded.

More than one in ten Torontonians now rely on food banks, compared to one in twenty just three years ago.

112,554 new clients turned to food banks for the first time this year.

Over half (54%) of Who’s Hungry respondents visit food banks three or more times per month, up from 43% last year.

For the first time since 2020, the majority of visits (59%, up from 47% last year) came from returning clients rather than new ones.

Children now make up one in four clients, and 18% of households with children reported their kids went hungry at least once a week.

11% of survey respondents rated their mental health as “poor” and 25% as “fair.” Indigenous respondents were nearly three times more likely to rate their mental health as “poor” (32%).

“Food Banks Canada’s 2025 HungerCount reveals a sobering reality: close to 2.2 million visits to food banks across the country in a single month,” shares Kirstin Beardsley, Chief Executive Officer, Food Banks Canada. “Poverty and hunger are becoming normalized in Canada, and we cannot build a strong Canada when our neighbours are hungry. By prioritizing our resources and investing in the policies that truly matter, we can build a Canada where no one goes hungry. This isn’t just a food bank issue; this is a national crisis that demands systemic change.”

As food insecurity deepens, Daily Bread and North York Harvest call on governments and the public to act:

Federal: Strengthen the Canada Disability Benefit by raising it above the poverty line, expanding eligibility, and exempting it from clawbacks.

Provincial: Ensure that at least one-quarter of the 1.5 million new homes promised by 2031 are permanently affordable, supportive, or social housing.

Municipal: Advance Toronto’s Poverty Reduction Strategy and expand access to affordable housing, childcare, transit, recreation, and food programs.