On September 24, 2025, the City of Ottawa passed a historic motion directing the development of a comprehensive strategy to address the root causes of food insecurity – a decision that comes at a time when 1 in 4 households in the city cannot afford enough to eat. The Ottawa Food Bank welcomes this decision, signifying an impactful step to build a food secure Ottawa.
We thank Councillor Marty Carr, who represents Alta Vista (Ward 18) where the Ottawa Food Bank Warehouse is situated, for moving this motion, seconded by Orléans South-Navan (Ward 19) Councillor Catherine Kitts, and supported by Mayor Mark Sutcliffe. The Ottawa Food Bank was consulted during the development of this motion and contributed to shaping its direction. We also thank the member agencies in the Ottawa Food Bank network, staff, volunteers, and community members who have supported our continued calls for government action.
Last November, ahead of the release of the 2024 Ottawa Hunger Report, the Ottawa Food Bank, network of 71 member agencies, and supporters across the city publicly asked for the City to declare food insecurity an emergency so that further steps could be taken to address the crisis in Ottawa. While this motion is not a declaration of emergency, it achieves what we and the network of agencies we support have been asking for: a commitment to develop a city-led strategy and coordinate action with provincial and federal governments.
While municipal governments have their own poverty reduction strategies and funding, provincial and federal governments oversee social assistance, affordable housing, employment programs, and other factors that directly impact food insecurity. For example, 39% of food program visitors primarily rely on social assistance, and improved social assistance can alleviate the use of food programs. The provincial government is developing its 2026-2030 Poverty Reduction Strategy, and within it, issues that impact food insecurity must be prioritized. Mayor Mark Sutcliffe will share this motion with Premier Doug Ford, Prime Minister Mark Carney, all Ottawa Members of Provincial Parliament and Members of Parliament, and other federal and provincial stakeholders to ensure a coordinated approach.
Municipalities need provincial and federal support to resolve food insecurity at its roots, but this support can only be accessed if they are sounding the alarm. With more cities committing to addressing food insecurity, the province and country cannot ignore the food insecurity emergency at hand.
The full motion is available here.
Food Insecurity in Ottawa
Our 2024 Ottawa Hunger Report highlighted that nearly 1 in 4 families in Ottawa cannot afford enough to eat, resulting in 556,232 visits to food banks in the Ottawa Food Bank network between October 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024 – the highest food bank usage in Ottawa Food Bank history. An increased cost of living paired with stagnant wages and social assistance has resulted in more people turning to food banks and food programs for access to healthy, nutritious food.
Ottawa Public Health’s Nutritious Food Basket looks at the cost of eating well in Ottawa. In 2024, the Nutritious Food Basket reported that it would cost a family of four $1,244 per month to access healthy food. With the current Ontario Works, Ontario Disability Support Program benefits, and current minimum wage, households who rely on these programs are left with a deficit month after month after paying after rent and food alone. These households are choosing between food, rent, childcare, healthcare, and more. The province has the power to change this, and with the declaration made by the City of Ottawa alongside our municipal peers, we can no longer go unheard to demand this change.
Today’s motion symbolizes the grave state of hunger in Ottawa, but it also gives way to hope that meaningful change is on the horizon.
What's Next?
As our next step, we look forward to working more closely with the City of Ottawa to advocate for the needs of those affected by this food insecurity emergency. The City’s commitment through this motion — to create a strategy to address the root causes of food insecurity and stand with us in calling on the provincial and federal government for stronger poverty reduction and food security measures — is a critical step forward toward meaningful change.
We have always said that there would not be an Ottawa Food Bank without Ottawa. Since last November, over 700 supporters emailed the Mayor and their City Councillors to ask for action on food insecurity through a declaration. We thank you for supporting us in so many ways – through using your voice, and spreading awareness about the vital work of the Ottawa Food Bank.
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