City of Mississauga Declares Food Insecurity an Emergency
Mississauga City Council passes motion to declare this emergency alongside Food Banks Mississauga
On Wednesday, November 13, 2024, 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.
“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,” says Mississauga Mayor, Carolyn Parrish.
The City of Mississauga has the fastest-growing rate of food bank visitors in the province – exceeding the provincial average. Food Banks Mississauga and their network of 60+ agency members served over 56,000 food bank visitors from June 2023 to May 2024 – 58% more than the previous year. They saw a total of over 420,000 visits – almost an 80% year-over-year increase. The lack of adequate government assistance, stable financial support and the underfunding of essential programs and services has forced neighbours in need to choose between food and rent, medicine and other necessities.
Amidst this skyrocketing increase in food bank usage, Food Banks Mississauga is also preparing for the tidal wave of demand that Statistics Canada and Food Banks Canada have reported are about to hit food banks. They estimated that 1 in 4 Canadian residents will need the help of a community program.
“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,” says Meghan Nicholls, CEO of Food Banks Mississauga. “We have seen an almost 80% increase in food bank visits in the past year. However, despite our best efforts, we’ve only been able to grow revenue by 2% 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.”
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 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.
The Groceries and Essentials Benefit, introduced by Food Banks Canada and other organizations, is the best way to provide 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, so that people don’t fall further into poverty.
Learn more about the Groceries and Essentials Benefit and send a message to your MP.
