Ontario’s hunger crisis is a housing crisis

Ontario’s hunger crisis is a housing crisis

Over four million visits to Toronto food banks were recorded this past year. Behind these numbers are real people making impossible choices between paying rent and buying groceries.

When people have stable, affordable housing, they can focus on putting food on the table. But under Doug Ford’s government, housing costs continue to soar while affordable housing remains critically undersupplied.

Ontario Greens are fighting for:

Meaningful investments in affordable housing, including non-profit, co-op and supportive housing;
Legalizing gentle density and missing middle housing so we can build more kinds of homes to bring down housing costs for everyone;
Reinstating rent control on all rental units to regulate rental increases year-to-year and implement vacancy control to limit rent increases between tenancies; and
Immediately doubling social assistance rates so people with disabilities can afford the basic necessities.

Add your voice to demand housing solutions that will end hunger in Ontario.

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Send a message to Premier Ford

I was deeply concerned to learn that Toronto’s food bank use has reached unprecedented levels, with a 340 per cent increase since 2019 and over four million visits recorded this past year. This is a direct result of your government’s failure to address Ontario’s housing affordability crisis. When people spend most of their income on housing, they’re forced to choose between paying rent and buying groceries. This impossible choice is one that no Ontarian should have to make. I urge your government to take immediate action to address the housing crisis that is driving hunger in our province by: - Making meaningful investments in affordable housing, including non-profit, co-op and supportive housing; - Legalizing gentle density and missing middle housing so we can build more kinds of homes to bring down housing costs for everyone; - Reinstating rent control on all rental units to regulate rental increases year-to-year and implement vacancy control to limit rent increases between tenancies; and - Immediately doubling social assistance rates so people with disabilities can afford the basic necessities. Food banks are filling gaps created by your government’s policies, and this is not sustainable. The solution is clear: when people have access to affordable, stable housing, they can afford to feed themselves and their families. I call on you to prioritize housing affordability as a key strategy to combat hunger in Ontario.

You can submit this letter as-is or change it to reflect your own priorities. Your comment will be forwarded with the subject line “Invest in housing to end hunger in Ontario”, including your name, email and postal code to Premier Ford. You will also be added to the GPO mailing list but you can unsubscribe at any time.