October 17 marks the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty—a day that calls for dignity, justice, and belonging for all—the reality remains stark: millions of Canadians are unable to afford basic necessities and live a dignified life.
In 2023, Canada’s official poverty rate climbed to 10.2%, representing about 4 million people, an increase from 9.9% in 2022. This marks the third consecutive annual increase since 2021. The child poverty rate rose even faster, from 9.9% in 2022 to 10.7% in 2023.
In Toronto, the picture is even more troubling: poverty increased from 8.6% in 2020 to 13.4% in 2023, while child poverty nearly doubled—from 9% to 16%.
Alongside rising poverty, we are seeing more and more people struggling to put food on the table. In 2024, 25.5% of people in the ten provinces lived in a food-insecure household. That amounts to approximately 10 million people, including 2.5 million children, living in households that struggled to afford the food they need. In Toronto, one in four households (24.7%) experienced food insecurity in 2024.
But behind every statistic are people—families making impossible choices between rent and groceries, or parents skipping meals so their children don’t have to.
Diane, a mother of three kids, shares her daily struggle. “I don’t know where to start because the struggle is real. Food prices are so high that we have to rely on food banks just to get by. I am really struggling as a single parent as my children have grown up and their needs have changed.”
Diane’s story reflects the reality of thousands across our city. People are doing everything right—working multiple jobs, earning degrees, and striving for stability—yet more than one in ten Torontonians rely on food banks.
This is because poverty and food insecurity are not personal failures. They are the outcome of deeper systemic issues: unaffordable housing, inadequate income supports, low-wage and precarious work, and the high cost of living.
Change is possible
We’ve seen that progress can be made. During the pandemic, poverty rates declined when governments implemented adequate income support measures. The recent rise shows the opposite: when coordinated action fades and governments fail to address the systemic barriers, people fall back into poverty.
New programs such as the Canada Disability Benefit, the Toronto Universal Student Nutrition Program, and Build Canada Homes are promising steps—reflecting policy changes that Daily Bread has long advocated for. Yet, while these initiatives mark meaningful progress, they are not enough on their own. Eradicating poverty will require sustained investment and coordinated action across all levels of government.
Poverty reduction strategies are essential tools to guide and measure progress—but despite having such strategies in place, governments are falling short. For these strategies to be successful, they must include clear objectives, measurable targets, and timelines, and be backed by the political will to meet them.
Governments also need to scale up and sustain investments in measures that tackle the root causes of poverty—ensuring access to affordable housing, strengthening income supports to guarantee a dignified standard of living, and expanding access to good jobs that provide stability and wages that reflect the true cost of living.
Take action
On this International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, we must remember: poverty is not inevitable—it’s a policy choice.
Governments can and must act so that everyone can live with dignity.
If you would like to take action, send a letter to your elected official and call for a Canada Disability Benefit that truly lifts people out of poverty.
