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We advocate for equitable policy change

a group of activists
Food insecurity isn’t a food problem. It’s an income problem. 

Nearly one in six people in Canada can't afford to put enough good food on the table.

As a result of colonization, systemic racism, and specifically anti-Black and Indigenous racism, Black and Indigenous people experience food insecurity at almost twice the rate of non-racialized Canadians.

Here’s how we take action

With our partners, we are working towards a Canada that delivers on the right to good food for all.

Alongside our work to build vibrant Community Food Centres, share knowledge, and create health-focused programs, we advocate for lasting impact through progressive and inclusive public policies.
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    Raise awareness of the issues

    With our partners, who work in hundreds of communities across Canada and see the impacts of poverty firsthand, we raise awareness about the root causes of food insecurity.

    Learn more in our Beyond Hunger report 
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    Develop policy solutions

    We work with research partners to advance income security policies that promote well-being with an aim to establish a minimum income floor that no one can fall below.
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    Lead a national good food movement

    We mobilize with our partners to push for policy change through local advocacy and national campaigning.

What’s the solution to food insecurity?


Invest in progressive, equitable income policies

Despite promises to create a more prosperous and equitable Canada, food insecurity is getting worse, not better. During COVID-19, food insecurity increased by nearly 39 per cent. It is now affecting 1 in 6 Canadians.

The growing rate of food insecurity is an indicator of how many Canadians are experiencing poverty and facing systemic barriers. And with the federal government’s goal of reducing poverty in Canada by 50 per cent by 2030, there is much work to be done. Decision-makers need to act with more urgency and commitment to creating equity in Canada. 

Here are the changes we’re advocating for:


  • Make the tax system work for more Canadians
    • Improve existing tax benefits and make them refundable to provide more income to Canadians living on low-incomes.
    • Create a tax credit or make significant improvements to the Canada Workers Benefit to support low-wage and unemployed working-age adults who live in the deepest poverty.
    • Provide enhanced supports to Canadians living on low incomes to file their taxes and get benefits. Particularly First Nations people living on reserve who face significant barriers to tax filing and accessing the benefits they're entitled to.
  • Strengthen the social safety net and social supports
    • Ensure federal income supports are not clawed back from people living on low incomes by other federal departments or levels of government.
    • Guarantee that the proposed Canada Disability Benefit will substantially raise incomes so that all people living with disabilities can live with dignity and autonomy.
    • Ensure low-wage workers have equal access to Employment Insurance.
    • Increase investments in social programs to improve affordability: finalize childcare agreements in all provinces and territories, implement truly affordable housing, and invest in a national pharmacare program.
  • Ensure all policies are implemented equitably
    • Apply a racial equity lens to all existing and future income policies to ensure they are implemented equitably.
    • Consult with leaders in Indigenous, Black and People of Colour communities who disproportionately experience food insecurity and poverty to develop effective policy solutions.

Recent policy insight & actions

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