New Report Warns: Ontario Is Facing Increased Homelessness, Strain on Health Care, and Community Instability

Feed Ontario's 2025 Hunger Report reveals over 1 million people relied on food banks last year, a warning sign that deeper social and economic challenges are on the horizon

GlobeNewswire

December 01, 2025

TORONTO, Dec. 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Feed Ontario's 2025 Hunger Report, released today, warns that escalating food bank use is an indicator that homelessness, strain on the health care system, and instability within communities are set to rise if immediate action is not taken.

The report also reveals that more than 1 million Ontarians needed a food bank last year, visiting hunger-relief services over 8.7 million times across the province. This marks the ninth consecutive year of growth and the highest level of demand on record.

“Persistently high food bank use is a warning that Ontario's biggest challenges are going to get even worse,” says Carolyn Stewart, CEO of Feed Ontario. “When more than one million people can't afford food, it's not just a hunger crisis, it's a sign that increased homelessness, strain on the health care system, and community instability are soon to follow.”

Key Findings from 2025 Hunger Report:

• Hunger and Homelessness: When compared against provincial homelessness data, the 2025 Hunger Report found that increased food bank use often preceded spikes in homelessness. With food bank visits on the rise, it argues that another surge in homelessness is on the horizon as more Ontarians struggle to afford rent and the cost of living.
• Hunger and Health Care: The report highlights that Ontarians living on a low income are more likely to experience chronic illness and to be hospitalized for conditions that could otherwise be managed outside of a hospital setting. The report also found that poverty-related health care expenses are costing the Province an additional $6.2 billion per year.
• Hunger and Community Wellbeing: The report argues that, when faced with job losses, precarious or low-quality work, and high unemployment rates, communities become vulnerable. Without a sense of economic security or the belief that things will improve, social unrest and instability can follow.

“Food banks are working tirelessly to meet demand and, in some cases, are preventing many of the province's biggest challenges from getting worse,” says Stewart. “But the need for help is outpacing the resources available, and food banks may soon have no choice but to turn people away.”

As detailed in the report, food banks are struggling to keep up with demand, with more than half of food banks reporting concerns about running out of food or not having enough to sustain their operations over the next six months. Further 1 in 10 reported that they have already been forced to reduce services because they do not have enough for the number of people turning to them for help.

The 2025 Hunger Report outlines key recommendations on how the Province can start addressing these challenges, including a new approach to poverty reduction and immediate investments that will help Ontarians today.

“We need immediate action against hunger and poverty before Ontario's biggest challenges become even harder to solve,” says Stewart. “Hunger is hurting Ontario and we need bold action now.”

Supporting Data:

Overall food bank use:

• Over 1 million Ontarians needed help from a food bank
• 8.7 million visits were made to hunger-relief services, a staggering 13% increase in just one year
• This marks the ninth straight year of rising demand, as more families go from “just getting by” to “barely holding on”

Who's using food banks:

• 1 in 3 people visited a food bank for the first time
• 1 in 3 were children under 18 years old
• 1 in 3 were people with disabilities
• 1 in 4 were employed but still could not earn enough to make ends meet
• 3 in 4 were rental market tenants
• Twice as many were seniors, compared to just five years ago, because their fixed incomes have not kept up with the rising cost of living

Food bank capacity and concerns:

• 2 in 3 food banks are worried that they will not be able to sustain their operations over the next six months
• 1 in 2 worry that they will not have enough food to meet growing demand
• 1 in 10 have already been forced to reduce services because they do not have enough food to support everyone who needs help

About Feed Ontario:
From securing fresh and healthy food sources to driving change through policy research and innovative programming, Feed Ontario unites food banks, industry partners, and local communities in its work to end poverty and hunger. Join Feed Ontario and help build a healthier province. Every $1 raised provides the equivalent of 2 meals to an Ontarian facing hunger. Learn more at www.feedontario.ca.

For more information, photos or b-roll, please contact:
Andrea Waters | Feed Ontario | andrea@feedontario.ca | 416-656-4100 x2941

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e56fc051-017a-4460-8697-568c3bdd37a1