Toronto report: More than one in eight children rely on food banks

More than one in eight children in Toronto, Ontario, rely on food banks, nearly double the one-in-15 rate recorded in 2022, according to Daily Bread Food Bank's latest Who's Hungry report, The Canadian Press reported November 3.

Food-bank visits remained above 4.1 million for a second year. The report said 67% of parents had skipped a meal to ensure their children had enough food, while 17% had a child in their household go hungry at least once a week in 2026.

One in four food-bank clients spent all their income on housing, up from one in five in 2025. Daily Bread chief executive Neil Hetherington described the rise in child hunger as alarming. The report calls for measures including provincial housing support and municipal investment to preserve affordable housing.