Impact: Facts & Figures
Who is food insecure in Niagara?
Over 75,000 individuals in Niagara are experiencing food insecurity. (United Way Niagara)
One in five households (20.7 per cent) in Niagara are food insecure. (Canadian Income Survey, 2022)
8 in 10 food insecure families have incomes above the poverty line. (United Way Niagara)
Who does food insecurity affect?
Food insecurity has many faces.
For example, 1 in 3 post-secondary students in Canada are food-insecure. (United Way Niagara).
In the Niagara Region, an asylum crisis has strained local systems that provide food options. Between 2023 and 2024, over 5k asylum seekers were sent to Niagara Falls. They live in contracted hotels throughout the city. This is another food insecure demographic.
Homelessness in Niagara Region
According to direct statistics from Niagara Region, there are approximately 1078 homeless individuals noted by name in the database.
512 of the total number are chronically homeless, meaning they have been on the streets for at least a year and struggle with certain mental health conditions. 309 of the total (173 of which are chronic) have identified their home community being Niagara Falls.
There has been a significant increase of homelessness in Niagara Falls. In 2021, for reference, the local numbers stood at 222 total (85 chronic). (Niagara Region Statistics from 2023)
How much food is wasted in Canada?
Each year, 3.2 million tons of surplus edible food is produced by Canada’s food industry (Grocery Business, 2022)
In the restaurant, entertainment, convention center industry 9% of FLW (Food Loss and Waste) is made (Toronto Met Univeristy). This includes waste made in the kitchens of restaurants during preparation and excessive produce left in storage that is not served before it spoils. As a result, restaurants serve large portion sizes, especially if they have non-seasonal and seasonal menu options. As well, 70% of FLW occurs after the food is served, specifically from the food that’s left from customers who did not finish their meal.
60% of the food we produce is thrown out every year, a third of which is edible at the time it’s tossed. (McLeans)
Recent data collected from companies in the food service industry (including hotels, restaurants and institutions) indicates that the proportion of food purchased for sale by these establishments that becomes waste is significant – 21% of dairy, eggs and field crops, 38% of produce, and 20% of meat (VCMI, 2019). (Gov Canada)
