Peel Region is confronting a severe affordability crisis as nearly one in four residents now experiences food insecurity—a stark reality that challenges the electoral affordability promises made by political parties ahead of the provincial election.
Carol Chefe, a 56-year-old Mississauga resident, is one of many directly impacted by the crisis. After losing her stable bank job two years ago through no fault of her own, Chefe faced a period of homelessness before taking refuge in her daughter’s apartment. Now reliant on Ontario Works, she receives only $800 a month—a sum that barely covers rent and leaves little for essentials. Compounding her challenges, Chefe’s autoimmune condition demands a strict gluten-free diet, yet even basic necessities like gluten-free bread, priced at $10 per loaf, have become prohibitively expensive. “People on Ontario Works can’t live on $800 a month, especially if you have a disease,” she says.
Local food banks report record demand, with Mississauga’s Seva Food Bank now assisting 60 to 70 families per day—more than double the numbers seen in recent years. Similarly, Brampton’s Regeneration Marketplace has experienced a 59% surge in demand over the past year. In response to escalating needs, both Mississauga and the broader Peel Region have declared food insecurity emergencies, as 22.9% of residents faced some level of food insecurity in 2023. Additional data from the Brampton Food Hub indicates that over 111,000 Peel residents, including nearly 29,000 children, live in poverty.
As the election looms, political parties are outlining various measures aimed at alleviating financial pressures, though critics question if these plans are sufficient:
- Progressive Conservatives: Under Doug Ford’s leadership, the PCs are focusing on broad-based relief measures, including a permanent 5.7-cent-per-litre gas tax cut—expected to save the average household about $125 per year.
- Ontario Liberals: Their proposals include doubling Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) benefits (with payments indexed to inflation), a middle-income tax cut lowering rates for those earning between $51,446 and $75,000, and the removal of HST on home heating and hydro bills, collectively promising over $1,000 in annual savings per household.
- NDP: The party is proposing a monthly grocery rebate of $40 per adult and $20 per child for families earning up to $65,000, alongside enhanced grocery price transparency and extended rent controls for newer housing.
- Green Party: Emphasizing structural change, the Greens advocate for income tax cuts for lower-income households, doubling of social assistance rates, a phased universal basic income, raising the minimum wage to $20 per hour (indexed to inflation), and expanded protections for Employment Insurance (EI) and Canada Pension Plan (CPP).
Dr. Valerie Tarasuk, professor emerita in nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto and lead researcher at PROOF, warns that while temporary measures like the NDP’s grocery rebate may offer short-term relief, “sustainable solutions must address the systemic inadequacies of current social assistance programs.” With benefits frozen since 2018, Tarasuk emphasizes that 53% of households on social aid remain food insecure—a statistic that underscores the need for permanent, comprehensive policy reforms.
Michelle Bilek, a member of the Peel Poverty Action Group, echoes these concerns: “The affordability crisis spans more than just food; it’s about ensuring every resident can meet basic needs without having to choose between rent and a meal.”