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Food Insecurity in York Region: Monitoring Food Affordability

May 04, 2026

Household food insecurity continues to rise in York Region.

According to the most recent Canadian Income Survey, in 2024, 22.1% of households, approximately two in nine households, in York Region experienced food insecurity in the past year. This is up from 2019, when 11.1% of York Region households experienced food insecurity.

Food Insecurity

Food insecurity is not having enough money to buy food. People who experience food insecurity range from worrying about affording food to eating less nutritious meals to going whole days without food due to not having enough money. It is linked to poor mental and physical health and can increase the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, depression and anxiety disorders.

The Nutritious Food Basket

The Nutritious Food Basket (NFB) is a tool that monitors food affordability in York Region. It is an annual survey that is used to collect the lowest prices of 61 foods that make up a healthy diet. The foods in the NFB reflect Canada’s Food Guide and do not include convenience foods, snack foods, or infant formula.

Each year, York Region collects the lowest cost for these foods from nine local grocery stores and calculates the cost of the NFB. The cost of food is then compared with income and local rental rates which provides a snapshot of the important role income plays in food insecurity.

For a family of four in York Region, the 2025 Food Insecurity Report shows:

  • Monthly cost of food: $1,242
  • Average rent for a three bedroom apartment: $2,205
  • Total monthly cost for food and housing: $3,447

A family of four receiving Ontario Works gets $2,994 per month. This leaves them $453 short after paying only for rent and food.
For many low-income households in York Region, healthy eating is not affordable. Whether a family of four on social assistance or minimum wage, an older adult living alone, or a single parent of two children, many of the scenarios in the NFB show that social assistance and minimum wage are not enough to pay for rent and food.

Reducing Food Insecurity

Food insecurity is not about a lack of food; it’s about a lack of income. Likewise, income is a key factor in food affordability. Improving the social and economic conditions of families and individuals is important for reducing food insecurity. Effective ways to reduce household food insecurity include:

  • Implementing living wage policies
  • Creating basic income programs
  • Increasing Ontario Works rates and keeping them in line with inflation so they meet basic needs
  • Ensuring government policies support the reduction of food insecurity

Everyone has a role to play in addressing food insecurity. Individuals can:

  • Learn more about food insecurity
  • Spread the word and share
  • Volunteer or host a free tax clinic to help individuals receive eligible provincial and federal benefits and assistance programs

To learn more about food insecurity in York Region and to access the Food Insecurity in York Region: Monitoring Food Affordability, 2025 report, please visit york.ca/FoodInsecurity.