Feed Ontario has published a staggering report on how hunger impacts Ontarians in each riding.
In 2021, food banks served 3,767 people in York-Simcoe 35,960 times—in Ontario, 592,308 people used food banks, 3.683 million times.
Of the total visits to food banks in York-Simcoe, 30 per cent of them were made by children. In Ontario, 32 per cent of food bank visitors were children even though they only make up 20 per cent of the general population
In terms of social assistance in Simcoe County, 7,585 people received Ontario Works and 18,395 people are on the Ontario Disability Support Program. The maximum provided by Ontario works to single people is $733 per month and $1,169 is the maximum provided by the Ontario Disability Support Program to single people per month.
Feed Ontario says, “social assistance does not provide enough to meet someone’s basic needs.” Thirty per cent of food bank clients in Simcoe rely on social assistance.
In York-Simcoe, 51 per cent of households are renters, and 46 per cent of those renters are in core housing need. The wait list for social housing in Simcoe is 351 households long.
Rent is considered affordable when it’s less than 30 per cent of income.
"In most places in Ontario, rent consumes far more than that, leaving little for essentials like food,” according to Feed Ontario.
In York-Simcoe, average rent is 161 per cent of Ontario Works, 101 per cent of Ontario Disability Support Program, 59 per cent of minimum wage (full-time), and 98 per cent of minimum wage (part-time). The average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Bradford West Gwillimbury is $1,180.
“No one should have to choose between paying rent and buying groceries,” says Feed Ontario.
As per the report, York-Simcoe’s poverty rate is seven per cent, while Ontario’s is 14 per cent. In York-Simcoe, child poverty is at eight per cent and in Ontario it’s at 18 per cent.
To address hunger and poverty in Ontario, the Feed Ontario network of food banks has urged the provincial government to invest in a strong social safety net, invest in affordable housing, and invest in a strong workforce.
The network is asking the government to, “align social assistance rates with the cost of living; modernize rules and eligibility requirements; improve access to top-up benefits and rebates. Invest in social and supportive housing; expand the portable housing benefit; strengthen rental laws; provide rent relief. Improve labour laws; invest in affordable childcare; enhance WSIB; reduce clawbacks on earned income; make LIFT refundable”
The numbers used in these reports only represent data collected by food banks within the Feed Ontario network, but in many communities, food bank use is higher than represented.
Use the Feed Ontario calculator here to see how hunger impacts your community.
