Household food insecurity rising across southwestern Ontario

By Lee Griffi

Five public health units have taken the rare step of issuing a joint news release calling for action on the growing issue of food insecurity.

Units across the region are concerned about the growing number of households struggling to afford basic needs, including food. In 2024, one in four families in southwestern Ontario experienced household food insecurity, meaning they lacked reliable access to enough food because of financial challenges. Rising housing and living costs are also forcing many to make difficult choices between paying rent and buying groceries.

Kendall Chambers is a registered dietitian at Southwestern Public Health (SWPH) and said more households are struggling with the issue, which led to coming together to raise awareness.

“We want to raise awareness of the magnitude of the problem and also on the evidence on what’s really driving household food insecurity.”

She explained household food insecurity is linked to poorer physical and mental health, higher risk of chronic disease and increased pressure on the health-care system. Among children and youth, it impacts concentration, memory, mood and motor skills, making it harder to succeed in school.

“Many households are relying on emergency food programs or facing impossible trade-offs, such as skipping meals. While many low- and modest-income households face challenges after covering housing and other essential costs, individuals on social assistance programs like Ontario Works often cannot afford both rent and food, even with careful spending.”

Chambers added the health units want the public to have a better understanding of household food insecurity, including erasing the misconception that it comes from making bad choices or poor budgeting.

“When we look at the evidence, it’s really about income. Hopefully raising that awareness in the community can inform conversations amongst the general public, but also with decision makers and organizations that can provide intervention.”

The health unit’s role is to monitor and assess population health by collecting data and communicating it to its partners, something Chambers said can help inform decision making at the municipal government level.

“Community partners can also take that data and use it in their own interventions of what they are looking at doing with their programs and services.”

Kendall and her team also collect data on the Nutritious Food Basket, a survey on the cost of food which is compared to Ontario income information along with rent costs.

“We put that into a table to show how different households may be able to afford or have more difficulty affording basic needs, including food and housing, transportation and child care. We do that every year and share it with our community partners.”

The health unit is encouraging residents to learn how income affects access to food, discuss income-based solutions with local elected officials and support community organizations while recognizing that food programs alone cannot address food insecurity.

Kendall added they are also available to support any business or organization in implementing a living wage.

“It can also be providing local tax clinics and different programs and services that can reduce the cost of living. We also may want to talk about having system navigators who can provide some of that support for community members.”

The five health units are calling for higher social assistance rates, including Ontario Works, improved income supports for low- and modest-income households, and policies to reduce housing costs and other essential living expenses.

In 2024, data showed a single adult receiving Ontario Works in southwestern Ontario cannot afford both food and rent, facing a monthly deficit ranging from $301 to $859. Many other households with low and modest incomes face similar challenges, with little or no income remaining after covering rent and other essential expenses such as transportation, utilities, child care, clothing and medications.

“More people across our region are being forced to make difficult choices about which basic needs they can afford – and too often, food is one of the first things cut,” said SWPH medical officer of health Dr. Ninh Tran. “That has real consequences for physical and mental health. Addressing household food insecurity means ensuring people have enough income to meet their basic needs.”