Toronto is spiraling. The cost of living is crushing residents, crime is surging, and now food bank visits have shattered records. Over 3.49 million visits were recorded between April 2023 and April 2024, a 38% spike from the year before. Compare that to pre-pandemic levels, and the increase is a staggering 273%. This isn’t just an economic squeeze. It’s a full-blown crisis.
At the same time, Toronto’s city councillors decided it was the perfect moment to hand themselves a massive pay hike. Their salaries jumped from $137,537 to $170,588, a 24% raise. That’s over $14,000 a month. While families struggle to buy groceries, politicians are stuffing their own pockets.
They defend it by saying this is the first major raise in nearly 20 years, claiming they need to be “competitive” with neighboring municipalities. But that logic crumbles under scrutiny. Toronto’s affordability crisis is at its worst point in modern history, with rent, food, and daily essentials becoming unattainable for many. City councillors aren’t struggling to survive. They’re ensuring their own luxury while ignoring the desperation around them.
Public service was once about sacrifice. Not anymore. Now it’s about self-enrichment, even as the city falls apart. The food banks prove it. The streets prove it. The growing despair proves it. Toronto isn’t broken by chance. It’s being systematically drained from the top.
Sources:
https://www.dailybread.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DB-Whos-Hungry-Report-2024-Digital.pdf
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/food-bank-toronto-record-1.7380521
https://globalnews.ca/news/11102739/toronto-city-councillors-pay/