Toronto mayoral candidates Olivia Chow and Brad Bradford joined Ontario Premier Doug Ford Saturday, as hundreds of volunteers gathered at the Daily Bread Food Bank’s annual Thanksgiving food sort. Organizers say the event brought more than 200 volunteers to sort and pack food donations for local residents in need over the holiday weekend. Chow, Bradford, Ford and other elected officials joined volunteers for the first shift at 9 a.m. as the event is scheduled to run until 4 p.m. Food bank visits hit record levels In a news release, Daily Bread says its network recorded more than 2.5 million client visits between January and August 2026, nearly four times the 664,876 visits recorded during the same period in 2020. According to the organization, about one in 10 Torontonians now regularly rely on a food bank as they continue to battle “record demand for food assistance.” “The holidays can be some of the most difficult times of year for families struggling to put food on the table,” Daily Bread CEO Neil Hetherington said. “With one in 10 Torontonians now turning to food banks, the level of need in our city is unlike anything we have seen before.” Daily Bread has set a $5-million fundraising target for its Thanksgiving drive this year, touting its “most ambitious” goal yet. The organization says it has raised roughly $2.5 million so far and aiming to collect 185,000 pounds of food. Hetherington thanked the volunteers, donors and supporters helping the organization respond to the growing need. “We are deeply thankful to every volunteer, donor and supporter who is helping us meet this unprecedented demand and bring some hope to families this holiday season,” he said. Residents can donate financially through Daily Bread’s website or drop off non-perishable food at grocery stores and fire halls across Toronto. The organization says high-protein foods such as nut butters and canned fish, along with canned fruits, canned vegetables and oatmeal, are among its most-needed items. Election season heats up Saturday’s event comes as Toronto’s mayoral candidates continue to campaign ahead of the Oct. 26 election. A recent Nanos Research survey conducted exclusively for CP24 and CTV News Toronto found that nearly three-quarters of Toronto voters feel the city has become less affordable compared with four years ago. This past week, Chow unveiled a 4-point plan to cut grocery prices and provide property tax breaks for community grocers. In response, Bradford’s campaign accused Chow of re-hashing previously announced policies, some of which he said are his own. Speaking to reporters at Saturday’s event, Bradford argued that although the city can’t control grocery or fuel prices, it can affect other bills residents face. He reiterated some of his key talking points, arguing that the nearly 20 per cent tax hike over three years under Chow “makes the city less affordable.” Chow meanwhile, pushed back on Bradford’s criticism that she was “campaigning” at the food bank, saying she had volunteered there every year and that this was the first time she had seen him there. She later added, “that’s not the point” and urged people not to “throw stones.” The two candidates plan to further campaign throughout the long weekend with both campaigns telling CTV News there will be stops in Scarborough and Etobicoke. Advance voting for the election closes on Oct. 11 at 7 p.m.
