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Hunger exists in every corner of Ontario. This is what it looks like in:

Markham—Stouffville

Food Bank Use

Food banks serve people in need in Markham—Stouffville. In 2023...
These numbers only represent data collected by food banks within the Feed Ontario network in 2023, but in many communities, food bank use is higher than represented.

1,386

People used a food bank a total of 8,041 times

In Ontario, 967,978 people used a food bank 7.4 million times in 2023. In many communities, food bank use is higher than what is represented.

34%

Of those visitors were children.

In Ontario, 29% of food bank visitors are children, even though they only represent 19% of the general population.

Food banks are here to serve people in need, but we can't do it alone.

Social Assistance

In York, there are 13,900 people receiving Ontario Works and 17,800 people on Ontario Disability Support Program.

34%

of food bank clients in our riding rely on social assistance

$733

Maximum provided by Ontario Works to single people per month

$1,368

Maximum provided by Ontario Disability Support Program to single people per month

Social assistance does not provide enough to meet someone’s basic needs.

Housing

14% of households in Markham—Stouffville are renters, and 45% of those renters are in core housing need. Unfortunately, the wait list for social housing in York is 14,800 households long.

$1,431

Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Markham

Rent is considered affordable when it’s less than 30% of gross income. In most places in Ontario, rent consumes far more than that, leaving little for essentials like food.

195% of Ontario Works

109% of Ontario Disability Support Program

53% of Minimum wage, full-time

100% of Minimum wage, part-time

No one should have to choose between paying rent and buying groceries.

Hunger and Poverty

In 2021, poverty in Markham—Stouffville:

7%

Poverty Rate

In Ontario, 10% of people live in poverty

7%

Child Poverty

In Ontario, 11.5% of children live in poverty

To address hunger and poverty in Ontario, the Feed Ontario network of food banks urges the provincial government to:

Invest in a strong social safety net

Align social assistance rates with the cost of living, modernize rules to ensure resilience and dignity, improve access to supports, extend social assistance benefit coverage

Invest in affordable housing

Strengthen laws to protect tenants and create more affordable housing, invest in social and supportive housing, expand the housing benefit

Invest in a strong workforce

Develop and protect labour laws that benefit workers, allow low-income workers to keep more of their income, enhance worker support programs like WSIB

Learn more at feedontario.ca/policy-recommendations/

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Explore and compare what food bank use looks like in other ridings across Ontario visit:

feedontario.ca/map

Take Action

Download a PDF of this report and share it with your MPP. Find your MPP’s contact information here Link opens a new window.

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