March 1, 2020
CBC News
Ontario
Desmond Brown
Stockpiling a week’s supply of food ‘not an option’ for many as Toronto sees increase in food bank use
Last week federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu suggested people should prepare as they would for a natural emergency such as a severe snowstorm — by setting aside a week’s supply of food, medicine and other household supplies.
But with Toronto recording a seven-per-cent increase in food bank usage between 2018 and 2019, there are concerns that many people are simply not able to make that kind of preparation.
“Having a week’s worth of food stockpiled, having a month’s worth of food stockpiled is not an option for individuals who are making use of food banks,” Neil Hetherington, the CEO of the Daily Bread Food Bank, told CBC News.