Mr. Speaker, every day, one in eight Canadians struggles to put affordable, nutritious food on the table. During COVID-19, that number increased to one in seven.
To address this issue, our federal Liberal government took urgent action during the pandemic by introducing a $100-million emergency fund, $50 million for the surplus purchase fund and $25 million to nutrition north Canada.
Community Food Centres Canada, located in my riding of Davenport, is dedicated to addressing food insecurity and its root causes and is doing vital work across the country. According to a new report it published, 81% of food insecure people say it takes a toll on their physical health, 79% say it impacts their mental health and 53% say it is a barrier to finding meaning in life.
Community Food Centres let me know how excited it was to hear a commitment in the throne speech to specifically address food insecurity in Canada. It is time to build a stronger, more equitable Canada. I look forward to working with all my colleagues in the House to implement our government's commitments in the Speech from the Throne and to make sure all Canadians can have access to affordable, nutritious food.