May 5, 2025
Councillor Fabio Costante
Chair, Board of Health
Windsor-Essex County Health Unit
1005 Ouellette Avenue
Windsor, ON N9A 4J8
Re: Addressing Household Food Insecurity
Dear Board Chair Costante,
At their April 24, 2025 meeting, the Middlesex-London Board of Health made the following resolution:
It was moved by S. Franke, seconded by M. Newton-Reid, that the Board of Health endorse items b) and g):
b) Windsor-Essex County Health Unit re: Addressing Household Food Insecurity
g) Public Heath Sudbury and Districts re: Endorsement of the Walport Report, and for continued focus on Public Health Emergency and Pandemic Preparedness
Carried
The Middlesex-London Board of Health has previously heard of the local impacts of food insecurity through Report No. 82-24. The Board of Health also provided all Boards of Health and local municipalities with the same report in December 2024. While local food insecurity rates are not yet available for 2024, 1 in 4 households in 2024 Middlesex-London were food insecure. For 2024, a key indicator for food insecurity is the average monthly cost of a nutritious diet as a proportion of household income. Households with low incomes spend up to 47% of their after-tax income on food, whereas households with adequate incomes (family of 4) only spend approximately 12% of their after-tax income.
Food insecurity in 2025 continues to be an issue across Middlesex-London, Windsor-Essex, Ontario and Canada. It is crucial for local public health units to bring awareness of this important issue to local, provincial and federal governments to support those struggling with accessing food in their community.
Sincerely,
Mike Steele
Board Chair
Middlesex-London Health Unit
Emily Williams BScN, RN, MBA, CHE
Secretary
Middlesex-London Health Unit
Alex Summers MD, MPH, CCFP, FRCPC
Medical Officer of Health
Middlesex-London Health Unit
CC: Board Member Skylar Franke