Poverty is the root cause of food insecurity. Many food bank clients live in deep poverty, defined as having a household disposable income below 75% of the official poverty line. Deep poverty is significant, lasting poverty which limits ability to access basic necessities, including food.

Raising awareness about who is living in deep poverty, raising social assistance rates, and improving administration of social assistance are key areas where Daily Bread is advocating to reduce deep poverty in Toronto.

Examples of our work:

• Coalition and advisory council memberships: Ontario Social Assistance Review Advisory Council, ODSP Action Coalition, City of Toronto’s Social Health Advisory Committee, Defend Disability
• Halting the proposed elimination of the Transition Child Benefit through the Stop the Cuts campaign
• Advocating for emergency financial benefits for people receiving social assistance during COVID-19
• Providing input on Ontario’s new 2020 poverty reduction strategy
• Developing a Material Deprivation Index as a measure of poverty in Ontario