The City of Mississauga has taken a landmark step in addressing food insecurity by declaring it an emergency. This formal declaration, passed today by Mississauga City Council, acknowledges that food insecurity has escalated beyond crisis levels and requires immediate and sustained action.
A Growing Problem
Food insecurity has been a persistent challenge in Mississauga, impacting a growing number of residents. Food Banks Mississauga now serves 1 in 13 residents, a sharp increase from 1 in 37 in 2019. Over the past year, food banks distributed more than 9 million pounds of food, a 55% increase compared to the previous year. Among those relying on food assistance, 1 in 3 are children, highlighting the vulnerability of the community’s youngest members.
Mississauga’s food bank usage is rising faster than anywhere else in the province, exceeding the provincial average. Contributing factors include escalating costs of living, including housing, fuel, medications, and essential goods, compounded by insufficient government support and underfunded social programs.
Key Actions and Advocacy
The motion passed by City Council calls for collaborative efforts at all levels of government to address food insecurity. The City is advocating for the following actions:
- Provincial and Federal Declarations: Urging provincial and federal governments to also declare food insecurity an emergency.
- Improved Social Assistance: Enhancing Ontario’s social assistance programs to align with the realities of the current economy.
- Affordable Housing Investment: Increasing funding for affordable, supportive, and public housing.
- Strengthened Labour Laws: Creating better protections and support for workers.
- Groceries and Essentials Benefit: Supporting Food Banks Canada’s proposal to provide immediate income assistance to low-income households through adjustments to the GST/HST credit.
The City is also appealing to the Region of Peel to increase funding for the Food Security Emergency Response Fund and collaborate on awareness campaigns to highlight the root causes and consequences of food insecurity.
Food Banks Mississauga: Meeting the Rising Demand
Food Banks Mississauga, in partnership with over 60 agency members, served over 56,000 unique visitors between June 2023 and May 2024, a 58% increase from the prior year. The organization recorded over 420,000 visits during this period, an almost 80% year-over-year increase. Statistics Canada and Food Banks Canada predict that one in four Canadians may require community program support in the near future.
The Groceries and Essentials Benefit proposed by Food Banks Canada offers an immediate, scalable solution by leveraging existing GST/HST credit mechanisms. This initiative would provide critical support to households on the brink of poverty.
Leadership Voices
Mayor Carolyn Parrish emphasized the urgency of the situation:
“Mississauga has the fastest-growing rate of food bank users in the province, and this is unacceptable and unsustainable. Food insecurity is not just a Mississauga problem; it’s a nationwide issue that requires long-term, sustainable poverty-reduction legislation, policies, and programs. We call on all levels of government to work together to address the root causes driving this emergency.”
Meghan Nicholls, CEO of Food Banks Mississauga, called for community and government action:
“Demand for food bank services has soared by 80% in the past year, but funding has not kept pace. Despite our best efforts, revenue has grown by only 2%. We urge the community to support us this holiday season and advocate for the Groceries and Essentials Benefit to ensure no one falls further behind.”