COVID-19 and the Emergence of New Community Food Security Initiatives in the Toronto Region

Food insecurity, which is defined as insufficient access to safe, nutritious, and culturally relevant food options, continues to be a pervasive and at times life-threatening issue experienced in urban areas across Canada (Wakefield et al., 2012). The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020 has further increased reliance on emergency food provision services across the City of Toronto (DBFB & NYHFB, 2021). In response to rising rates of food insecurity, Toronto has seen the establishment of new, community-based grassroots and mutual aid initiatives, which in different capacities attempt to reduce barriers to food access and get food directly to people most affected by the pandemic. Using a qualitative case study design that includes a review of Toronto's food policy landscape, as well as interviews with initiative organizers, this MRP explores how community-based food security initiatives are approaching food access, and their intended longer-term sustainability.