Mississauga City Council declares food insecurity an emergency

Today, Mississauga City Council passed a motion to declare food insecurity an emergency in the City of Mississauga.

This formal declaration is a monumental step in recognizing that food insecurity has gone beyond crisis levels and is not a temporary issue. Food insecurity has been affecting too many residents for far too long. Food Banks Mississauga now serves 1 in 13 Mississauga residents, up from 1 in 37 in 2019. Last year, food banks distributed over 9-million pounds of food or 55 per cent more than the previous year of which, 1 in 3 were children, some of our most at risk community members.

The City of Mississauga has the fastest-growing rate of food bank users in the province – exceeding the provincial average. Many residents are facing rising living costs of housing, gas and other essentials like medications, hygiene products, clothing and cleaning items. The lack of adequate government assistance, stable financial support and the underfunding of essential programs and services, has left many in Mississauga’s communities vulnerable.

While focused on approaching the provincial and federal governments for more long-term solutions, today’s motion also looks to our partners at the Region of Peel to increase the Food Security Emergency Response Fund and to work alongside the other levels of government on advocacy and awareness campaigns highlighting the underfunding of essential supports for residents.

The motion looks to achieve the following through collective actions at all levels of government, including:

• Requesting the federal and provincial governments to declare food insecurity an emergency, in solidarity with Mississauga.
• Improving Ontario’s social assistance programs to meet the realities of our economy.
• Investing in affordable, supportive and public housing.
• Building a stronger workforce through better labour laws that benefit workers, and enhanced worker support programs.
• Supporting the Groceries and Essentials Benefit brought forward by Food Banks Canada, aimed to help struggling households afford vital costs like food and shelter.

Food Banks Mississauga and their network of more than 60 agency members served over 56,000 food bank visitors from June 2023 to May 2024 – 58 per cent more than the previous year. They saw a total of over 420,000 visits – almost an 80 per cent year-over-year increase.

As food bank usage skyrockets, Food Banks Mississauga is also preparing for greater demand that Statistics Canada and Food Banks Canada expect in the near future. They estimate that one in four Canadian residents will need the help of a community program.

The Groceries and Essentials Benefit, as introduced by Food Banks Canada and other organizations, provides immediate income support to those who need it most. This benefit would work quickly, using the structure that is already in place. By adjusting the GST/HST credit, this benefit would ensure extra support reaches those who need it most so that people don’t fall further into poverty.

To learn more about the Groceries and Essentials Benefit and send a message to your MP, visit www.foodbanksmississauga.ca/groceries-benefit

To make a gift, visit: www.foodbanksmississauga.ca/holiday

Watch a video of the news conference.

About Food Banks Mississauga

Food Banks Mississauga is the leading food security organization in Mississauga. They lead a network of more than 60 agency members, including neighbourhood food banks, pantries, cupboards, and meal and snack programs, working together to realize a food-secure Mississauga. They provide healthy and appropriate food for over 9-million meals each year to neighbours facing food insecurity.

The Mississauga Food Bank is now Food Banks Mississauga! While our name and branding have changed to reflect how our work in the community has evolved, how we support neighbours facing food insecurity has not changed. We’re still doing the same critical work we’ve always done, helping neighbours get the food and support they need today while we work to create a food-secure Mississauga for all.

Quotes:

“Mississauga Council has declared a food insecurity emergency. Mississauga has the fastest-growing rate of food bank users in the province – exceeding the provincial average – and the number continues to grow with each passing year. This situation is unacceptable and unsustainable. While food banks continue to fill a critical gap, this is a broader issue that they – and we – can’t solve alone, and it’s not just a Mississauga problem. We call on our provincial and federal partners to work with us toward lasting change by addressing the root causes and structural issues driving food insecurity. We need long-term, sustainable, poverty-reduction legislation, policies and programs supporting basic human rights. We must come together to do better for our communities.” – Mississauga Mayor, Carolyn Parrish

“Food insecurity and demand for non-profit services are far worse than they were even at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m proud to stand alongside Mayor Parrish and Mississauga City Council as they take this significant step to officially declare food insecurity an emergency in our city. We have seen an almost 80 per cent increase in food bank visits in the past year. However, despite our best efforts, we’ve only been able to grow revenue by two per cent during that same time. The lack of provincial and federal funding for food banks and those facing food insecurity means that we continue to face an uphill battle as more of our neighbours fall further behind. This is why I’m calling on our community to make a gift this holiday season to provide food to neighbours in need today and send a message to their Member of Parliament demanding a Groceries and Essentials Benefit to support our neighbours for tomorrow.” – CEO Food Banks, Mississauga, Meghan Nicholls

(Food bank volunteers photo courtesy Food Banks Mississauga)

Tags

• Funding and Grants
• Public Safety