A stark new report from Feed Ontario warns that record-breaking reliance on food banks across the province is a dire precursor to escalating social crises, including increased homelessness, severe strain on the healthcare system, and growing community instability.
Unprecedented Demand for Hunger Relief
The 2025 Hunger Report, released on December 1, 2025, reveals that more than 1 million Ontarians turned to a food bank for assistance last year. This resulted in over 8.7 million visits to hunger-relief services province-wide. This alarming figure marks the ninth consecutive year of growth and represents the highest level of demand ever recorded in Ontario.
"Persistently high food bank use is a warning that Ontario’s biggest challenges are going to get even worse," says Carolyn Stewart, CEO of Feed Ontario. "When more than one million people can’t afford food, it’s not just a hunger crisis, it’s a sign that increased homelessness, strain on the health care system, and community instability are soon to follow."
Interconnected Crises: From Hunger to Homelessness and Health
The report draws direct connections between food insecurity and other systemic failures. A key finding indicates that spikes in food bank use often occur before increases in homelessness. With visits rising, the report predicts another surge in homelessness as more residents are pushed to the brink by unaffordable rent and the high cost of living.
Furthermore, the strain on Ontario's healthcare system is both a cause and effect of poverty. The report notes that low-income Ontarians are more likely to suffer from chronic illness and require hospitalization for conditions manageable outside a hospital. This poverty-driven healthcare burden is estimated to cost the provincial system an additional $6.2 billion annually.
Food Banks at a Breaking Point
The frontline organizations are struggling to keep pace. More than half of Ontario's food banks report concerns about running out of food or lacking the resources to sustain operations for the next six months. Alarmingly, 1 in 10 food banks has already been forced to reduce services due to overwhelming demand.
"Food banks are working tirelessly to meet demand and, in some cases, are preventing many of the province’s biggest challenges from getting worse," Stewart explains. "But the need for help is outpacing the resources available, and food banks may soon have no choice but to turn people away."
A Call for Bold and Immediate Action
The 2025 Hunger Report concludes with urgent recommendations for the provincial government. It calls for a new approach to poverty reduction and immediate investments to support Ontarians facing hunger today. The underlying message is clear: without swift intervention, the interconnected crises of hunger, housing, and health will become exponentially more difficult and costly to solve.
"We need immediate action against hunger and poverty before Ontario’s biggest challenges become even harder to solve," Stewart urges. "Hunger is hurting Ontario and we need bold action now."