Toronto food banks brace for the worst in the face of looming tariff threat

Toronto food banks – many of which are already struggling to meet demand – are expecting to see a significant increase in users if the threatened U.S. tariffs go ahead on April 2. 

Neil Hetherington, CEO of the Daily Bread Food Bank, told CBC Toronto the non-profit was already expecting to spend $2.5 million more than originally budgeted to meet increased demand this year.

And that's before factoring in any impact tariffs would have, he said. 

"Now you add on individuals who are going to lose their jobs, individuals who are not going to get those additional hours at their place of location and they are going to come to the food bank," Hetherington said.  

On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump paused the tariffs on Canadian goods that briefly went into effect on March 4, which included 25 per cent levies on most Canadian goods and 10 per cent levies on oil and gas exports.  

In retaliation, Canada originally slapped 25 per cent tariffs on $30 billion worth of American goods, and tariffs would be applied to another $125 billion worth after a three-week consultation period.

If that should come to pass, Hetherington said, any revenue earned on counter-tariffs should be put to good use. 

"Let's make sure that that money is going directly back into social infrastructure," he said. "Like making sure that we're developing decent affordable housing across Canada so that this legacy at least be one where we have a stronger, more resilient Canada."

Ryan Noble, executive director at North York Harvest Food Bank, agreed, adding that while food banks would be under additional strain because of the tariffs, the larger problems they face aren't new. 

"We've been telling similar stories for years now," he told CBC Toronto. "We've allowed our social safety net to degrade … That story is not going to change until we see the types of policy solutions that are going to be required so that people have sufficient income to meet their basic needs." 

North York Harvest is also preparing for major impacts if the trade war is reignited. Specifically, Noble said he would expect a higher volume of users as well as a decrease in contributions as regular donors face rising daily costs. 

"And then our ability to fill in the void from that decrease in donations becomes more and more expensive," he said. 

Fiona Yeudall, an assistant professor at Toronto Metropolitan University's School of Nutrition, told CBC Toronto tariffs pose a threat to food security in general. 

"When people are stressed in terms of their income the food is the elastic portion," she said. "You start to eat food that you don't like as much or you reduce the quality. And if it gets really bad, you reduce the quantity. And the last people within any household who get reduced quantity are children. So if there's hungry children, there's hungry parents."