This Valentine’s Day, forget the chocolates and roses—what our community really needs is action on food insecurity and poverty! With 1 in 4 households struggling to afford food and 30.7% of Ontario’s children living in food-insecure homes, love means fighting for real solutions.
“Food banks are working overtime, but they shouldn’t be the backbone of our social safety net,” says Jill Umbach of the Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force. “If we really care about each other, let’s fix the root issues—because you can’t eat a Valentine’s Day card.”
Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue, Food Banks Are Overwhelmed, And We Need Help Too
Last year, the Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force launched Income Solutions to Food Insecurity, a campaign advocating for sustainable, income-based solutions to hunger. It’s time to move beyond band-aid solutions and give our communities the stability they deserve.
What We’re Asking for (Besides More Chocolate)
The Poverty Task Force is calling on provincial candidates in an Open Letter to Provincial Candidates to put their money where their heart is by committing to:
- Strengthening Income Supports
- Increase social assistance rates to reflect real living costs.
- Stop using food banks as a replacement for proper income policies.
- Investing in Quality Jobs
- Make sure workers earn a living wage.
- Strengthen employment standards so people don’t have to work three jobs to survive.
- Expand access to affordable childcare.
- Expanding Supportive and Transitional Housing
- Invest in social and supportive housing, mental health services, and income supports.
- Help people move from homelessness to stability—because home is where the heart is.
With the February 27 provincial election coming up, we’re putting candidates on the spot:
- Will you commit to real income solutions?
- Will you invest in long-term policies instead of temporary charity?
About the Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force: For over 12 years, the Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force has been advocating for policies that tackle poverty at its roots. We believe in love, dignity, and making sure everyone has enough to eat—because nothing kills romance like an empty fridge.
To read our Open Letter and learn more go to: Poverty, Voting and Ontario Election – Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force
