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

<p>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.</p>