The Recession Relief Coalition ignited fifteen months ago, fueled by an economic collapse that saw thousands of Canadians lose their jobs. Now, the Coalition is trying to push the federal government to provide much needed affordable housing and poverty relief.

Across the country, many businesses have gone bankrupt, some industries are in severe decline and permanent jobs have been replaced with part-time or temporary ones at a much lower rate of pay. A significant number remain unemployed as their EI benefits and personal savings dry up.

On a cool September morning, a server lifts the lid on a steaming container and carefully ladles soup into plastic bowls while standing on the northwest corner of Bay and University in the heart of Canada’s financial district. She hands a bowl to John Andras, a portfolio manager at a nearby investment company and chair of the Recession Relief Coalition, a broad-based group of organizations and individuals concerned about the impact of the recession on Canada’s most vulnerable and marginalized residents.