Kingston, Ontario, has become the third city in the province in just a few months to declare a food insecurity emergency.
The trend of food insecurity is spreading across Canada, from east to west, with rising prices, food theft, and food bank usage breaking records.
In Alberta, food bank usage has surged by over 92% in the last five years. In neighboring Saskatchewan, the past holiday season in December 2024 saw a 25% increase in new registrations compared to November 2023.
In Ontario, rising inflation has been linked to an increase in food-related theft. Apple farms have reported a string of robberies, with people filling their pockets and overstuffing bags and strollers to take extra apples.
In Brantford, Ontario, police remain on the lookout for thieves who stole $1,200 worth of butter in a high-value grocery store robbery.
Meanwhile, food bank users in Toronto are struggling. After paying rent and utilities, they are left with an average of only $6.67 per person per day, leaving little room for food. In 2023, Toronto food banks recorded a record-breaking 3.49 million visits.
Adding to these regional food crises, donation flows have slowed, exacerbated by a delay in the delivery of appeal letters. Canada Post, which holds a government-granted monopoly on mail delivery, faced a strike from November 15 to January 7, further disrupting the system.
Notably, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), which led the strike, included free sex-change surgeries among their top demands.
