Every day residents in Toronto struggle to make ends meet and are forced to make compromises to get by. According to Daily Bread Food Bank’s most recent Who’s Hungry? report, 1 in 10 people in Toronto are now relying on food banks, a number that has doubled since last year. Almost 1 in 4 households in Toronto are food insecure and struggle to afford the food they need.

As residents, even those working full time, struggle to afford the cost of living in Toronto, free and low-cost services are in high demand. 15,000 children are on the waiting list for childcare and 85,000 households are on the waiting list for social housing.

Our city is facing multiple crises but poverty is the common thread across them all.

Learn more about Food Insecurity in Toronto and what community organizations are asking for the next Poverty Reduction Strategy Action Plan.

Launched in 2015, the Toronto Poverty Reduction Strategy is the City of Toronto’s long-term strategy to address immediate needs, create pathways to prosperity, and drive systemic change for those living in poverty in the City. The Toronto Poverty Reduction Strategy contains 17 recommendations to be achieved by 2035. Every four years, the Poverty Reduction Strategy releases a refreshed Action Plan that builds on the work of previous years. The strategy focuses on housing stability, services access, transit equity, food access, the quality of jobs and incomes, and systemic change. The latest Action Plan is scheduled to be considered by Toronto City Council this December. 

Social Planning Toronto, with partners and community members launched the call for a city-wide Poverty Reduction Strategy and was instrumental in its establishment. Since then, SPT has tracked the progress of the implementation of the strategy and has continued to advocate for adequate funding and stronger monitoring.

What’s next?

The new Poverty Reduction Strategy 2023-2026 Action Plan will be considered by the City’s Executive Committee on December 5 and by City Council during the December 13 to 15 meeting. Committee and Council agendas are available at toronto.ca/Council a week before meeting dates. The new Action Plan will be available to the public on Tuesday, November 28 prior to the Executive Committee meeting. You can find information on how to share your comments in writing or in person at Committee meetings on the City’s website.

The Poverty Reduction Strategy Office is hosting a Virtual Town Hall to provide an update, prior to the release of the strategy:

Date: Thursday, November 30, 2023

Times: 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.  or  6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Location: virtual via Zoom

SPT will share the information and registration details on this page, once available.