International Students Fuel Record-High Food Bank Demand in Toronto Amid Rising Living Costs

Toronto’s food banks have hit a shocking new record, reflecting the escalating financial struggles of many residents, especially international students. From April 2023 to April 2024, food banks in Toronto recorded 3.49 million visits, marking a 38% increase from the previous year and nearly quadrupling pre-pandemic numbers, according to the latest *Who’s Hungry* report from Daily Bread and North York Harvest food banks.

This surge in food bank usage follows a distressing trend that began in 2021 when food banks first saw a dramatic uptick in visits. The city’s food banks had already been overwhelmed in 2022 with over 2.5 million visits, but 2023 saw the numbers soar even further. The skyrocketing demand has caused concern, with food bank leaders warning that their resources could be depleted within the next 18 months, forcing them to scale back food distribution.

Neil Hetherington, CEO of Daily Bread Food Bank, emphasized the situation’s unsustainable nature: “You gotta ask the questions around, you know, is this sustainable? Can we continue to do this?”

A particularly alarming discovery in this year’s report is the significant rise in student food bank usage. For the first time, data was collected on the student status of food bank clients, revealing that one in three food bank clients are students, with 42% being new users. Notably, more than half (56%) of these students are international students, and a staggering 93% of them are first-time clients.

International students, often reliant on temporary or casual employment, face an even steeper challenge. With the rising cost of living in Toronto, they have only $3.30 left for food each day after paying for rent and utilities—well below the overall median of $7.78 for food. These students are caught in a financial bind, with the government’s increased cost-of-living requirement for study permits—now set at $20,635—only adding to their burdens.

The situation highlights the systemic gaps in Canada’s support for international students, who are grappling with limited housing options and job opportunities. While the government mandates higher financial requirements for study permits, there has been little movement on creating sustainable solutions to address students’ broader needs, such as affordable housing, job prospects, and access to essential resources.

This is compounded by an alarming increase in the number of unhoused individuals relying on food banks. The report notes a 420% rise in clients without stable housing, alongside a 90% increase in food bank visits from clients living in emergency shelters.

“The government needs to step up and address these gaps in the system,” said Hetherington. “Over one in 10 Torontonians continue to rely on food banks because of systemic policy failures.”

The rapid rise in food bank usage underscores a growing crisis, with vulnerable populations like international students facing increasingly difficult challenges in Toronto’s expensive housing market. The need for a comprehensive government response has never been clearer.