What is food insecurity?
Food insecurity, known as uncertain or inadequate access to the food needed for a healthy life, is a serious and growing problem across Canada. Food insecurity affects over 4.4 million people or one in eight households, and one in six children.
The issue of food insecurity has only worsened since Statistics Canada started tracking it nearly 20 years ago. Yet, very few people in Canada are familiar with food insecurity and the impact it has on our communities. This lack of awareness or understanding impedes meaningful progress towards alleviating the issue.
Awareness about food insecurity
The Maple Leaf Centre for Action on Food Security has been working to raise awareness about food insecurity through our partnerships with organizations focusing their work in this space and our social media campaigns. In late 2020, we began discussions with our partner, Community Food Centres Canada, about what more we can do to highlight the issue and the real impact it has on people across the country. We both wanted to inspire more action to drive change.
Together, we were able to form an innovative partnership with Maclean’s magazine so that they can conduct research and write about hunger and food security in Canada. Read the announcement from Maclean’s to learn more about this partnership, and what writer and reporter Nathan Sing has learned about where food insecurity sits in this federal election. All editorial oversight of the work remains with Maclean’s.
Keep an eye out for Nathan’s work in the coming months on Maclean’s.ca.
