12-05-2025
Smiths Falls, Ont. declares food insecurity emergency
The town of Smiths Falls, Ont. has declared a food insecurity emergency as the number of residents relying on food banks continues to rise.
Food insecurity refers to individuals not having access to sufficient or adequate quality food to meet basic needs.
Natalia Soteroff, the executive director of the Smiths Falls Community Food Bank, tells CTV News Ottawa that the demand for their service has grown exponentially since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The food bank used to serve about 300 clients per month and that number has more than tripled to about 950.
'We need more support,' Soteroff says.
Soteroff says food banks do not receive consistent funding from any level of government, instead relying on donations to support their operation.
'We strictly rely on our community and our community is in need,' she says.
Smiths Falls, located about 80 km southwest of Ottawa, has a population of roughly 10,000. The town is the latest eastern Ontario municipality to raise concerns over usage of food banks.
Kingston declared a food insecurity emergency in January.
