Why more Canadians will be hungry this holiday

On Sunday and Monday, many of us will celebrate Thanksgiving with family and a full table. But so, so many of us—a staggering number that keeps climbing—will be making do with much less than that. Food insecurity in Canada keeps rising, and food banks in this country are strained to the limit, with no relief on the horizon.

But why are food banks our only plan for the growing number of hungry Canadians? If we're so keen to help people eat, especially around the holidays, why aren't we doing anything before they end up lining up down the block for charity? What policies could meaningfully change how we feed people in this country? And what will it take for us to get them enacted?

GUEST: Dr. Valerie Tarasuk, principal investigator for PROOF, Professor Emerita at the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto

We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:

Through email at [email protected] 

Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky