1 out of 2 food bank visitors are worried about facing eviction or defaulting on their mortgage in the next two to six months

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

“Our survey revealed that over 93% of respondents are navigating the financial challenges created by the pandemic by borrowing money from friends or family, accessing payday loans, or using credit cards to help pay bills.”
Carolyn Stewart (Executive Director, Feed Ontario)

There has been a long history of housing insecurity for African/Caribbean’s living in North America. Most of this is due to racially targeted policies and widespread discrimination, particularly within the rental housing market.

What can be said is that this pandemic has highlighted the disparities experienced in the Afro-Caribbean communities, and once again all that has occurred during this dreaded pandemic disproportionately affects us. It has exacerbated past inequalities, and is setting the stage for worsening inequality. Many of us have less confidence in our ability to pay rent, and are experiencing greater difficulties than other communities.

Feed Ontario released its 2020 Hunger Report, which included a special feature on the impact of COVID-19 on food bank use and vulnerable populations across the province. The revelations are startling; this pandemic has severely affected how people live their daily lives and their ability to afford even their most basic expenses, such as rent, heat, hydro, transportation, and food.

More than 537,000 people accessed a food bank, visiting more than 3.2 million times, in the year leading up to the pandemic. Over 85% of food bank visitors are rental or social housing tenants that spend the majority of their monthly income on housing. This naturally leaves very little for all other necessities, and makes it near impossible for low-income people to establish savings or a financial cushion to help offset income loss or unexpected expenses during times of emergency.

To gain further understanding on how this looks, let us review some of the numbers gathered from the report, and then we can examine the suggestions that have been provided to handle this increasing issue.

2020 Hunger Report Highlights and Trends

• Ontario’s food banks were visited over 3,282,500 times throughout the year, an increase of 7.3% over the previous year, and 11.8% over the last two years
• The primary drivers of food bank use are: Ontario’s insufficient social assistance programs, precarious employment, and unaffordable housing
• 65.7% of food bank visitors cite social assistance as their primary source of income
• 86% of food bank visits are rental or social housing tenants who spend the majority of their monthly income on rent
• 1 out of 2 food bank visitors are worried about eviction or defaulting on their mortgage in the next two to six months
• The top three expenses that caused a survey respondent to miss a meal were rent, utilities, and phone/internet

“Prices have gone up. My hydro bill has almost doubled since last year this time. Choosing to pay bills and put food last has been happening for me.”
Survey Respondent

The report details that people in vulnerable communities are incurring more debt. Many adults and families have no choice but to go without food in order to afford monthly expenses, with rent, utilities and phone/internet being the most common expenses.

Government intervention and support like CERB and the moratorium on evictions have played a significant role in helping families avoid financial devastation, however, many of these supports have come to an end, and food banks are starting to see an increase in the number of people turning to them for assistance.

What can be done? How can we best support these people who are in silent need, and remain unnoticed?

Feed Ontario is calling on the Government of Ontario to provide immediate support to low-income adults and families impacted by the pandemic, including the development of a rent relief or payment program for tenants facing rent arrears or eviction due to COVID-19. They are also asking the government to reinstate the Emergency Benefit for social assistance recipients.

They are calling on the provincial government to align Ontario’s social assistance rates with the national standard set by CERB, and to invest in strengthening the workforce by developing strong labour laws and policies that benefit hard-working people.

Reinstate paid sick days. Create quality job opportunities that provide liveable wages. More can be done to support our vulnerable communities. We have to do more!