As more households in Canada experience food insecurity, food banks and other organizations are struggling to meet demand for their services. In 2023 alone, around 23 per cent of Canadian households experienced some form of food insecurity. That translates to 8.7 million people, including 2.1 million children, who struggled to access sufficient, safe and nutritious food.
Researchers and food-centered organizations have had long-standing concerns that food charity alone cannot effectively respond to this growing demand. Community food groups across Canada have been advocating for a more systemic, structural approach to addressing food insecurity, rather than relying on reactive, short-term solutions like food banks.
