NEW EPISODE | Fighting Poverty and Hunger in Canada with Daily Bread CEO Neil Hetherington
In this episode, we sit down with Neil Hetherington, CEO of the Daily Bread Food Bank, for a wide-ranging conversation about poverty, hunger, and the alarming rise in food bank use across Toronto.
The episode will stream live on YouTube at 7:00PM ET on Thursday, December 11 and drop on podcast platforms at 6:00AM the following morning.
In this episode, we sit down with Neil Hetherington, CEO of the Daily Bread Food Bank, for a wide-ranging conversation about poverty, hunger, and the alarming rise in food bank use across Toronto and beyond. Here’s a sneak preview:
We discuss the findings from Daily Bread’s 2025 “Who’s Hungry?” report, which shows food bank visits hitting a record 4.1 million this year — a staggering 340% increase since 2019.
Support the Daily Bread Food Bank this holiday season:
Hetherington explains why food insecurity has shifted from a temporary emergency to a long-term structural crisis, and what the data reveal about the pressures forcing people deeper into poverty. He breaks down the main drivers of hunger — including unaffordable housing, stagnant wages, and the growth of precarious work — and why so many people with jobs and post-secondary education are still unable to afford the basics.
We also explore how the housing crisis is fueling food insecurity, the growing number of single adults falling into poverty, and the rise in food bank use among people with disabilities.
Finally, we talk about what listeners can do right now to support their communities — from advocating for stronger social policies to taking simple, practical actions that make a meaningful difference.
If you care about poverty reduction, housing affordability, disability justice, or the growing crisis of hunger in Canada, this is an essential conversation.
Topics include:
Food insecurity • Daily Bread Food Bank • Who’s Hungry report • poverty in Canada • housing crisis • precarious work • single adults in poverty • Canada Disability Benefit • National School Food Program • fresh food tax credit • social policy • income supports • Toronto affordability • economic inequality • anti-poverty advocacy
The Progress Canada Podcast delves into the political, social, and policy transformations shaping the future of our country. Each episode brings thought-provoking discussions with policymakers, activists, and experts who are driving change across Canada. We explore what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to be done next to build a more inclusive, sustainable, and equitable future.