Canadians continue to face an uncertain future as income fails to keep pace with food price increases. New data released from Statistics Canada shows that 24% of Canadians were living in a food-insecure household last year. In real numbers, this percentage works out to approximately 9.8 million people, including 2.4 million children, living in households that struggled to afford the food needed.
Food Insecurity Reaches Crisis Levels
Marissa Alexander, executive director of Food Secure Canada, stated in a news release from March of last year that food insecurity in Canada has hit crisis levels. She emphasized that grocery prices and poverty are rising, while trade vulnerabilities and corporate concentration put the country at even greater risk. Alexander noted that food sovereignty has never been more urgent for Canada's future.
Record Food Bank Visits
According to a Food Banks Canada report, food banks across the country recorded nearly 2.2 million visits in March of last year. This is double the monthly usage recorded just six years ago. The report highlighted that it took decades to reach one million visits in a month, and it has now taken half a decade to double that number. One-third of food bank clients are children, 34% are newcomers to Canada (defined as living in Canada 10 years or less), and 40% of clients recorded social assistance for income. The Food Banks Canada website indicated that 2,726 food banks reported in for the study.
Rising Food Prices
Statistics Canada reports that food prices rose 6.2% over the past year, the highest level since 2023. This increase is roughly double the rate seen in the United States.
Three Types of Food Insecurity
A food insecure household indicates a lack of resources to meet basic dietary needs. According to Statistics Canada, there are three categories of food insecurity. Marginal food insecurity means worrying about running out of food or having a limited selection of food. Moderate food insecurity means compromising in the quality or quantity of food. Severe food insecurity means missing meals, having a reduced food intake, and going day(s) without food.
The percentage of people living in moderately food-insecure households ranged from 8.0% in Quebec to 15.2% in Manitoba. The percentage of those living in severely food-insecure households varied from 4.1% in Quebec to 9.4% in Alberta. The percentage of people living in food-insecure households was highest in Nunavut at 56.4%. Among the provinces, the percentage of individuals living in food-insecure households was highest in Alberta at 28.4%, New Brunswick at 28.2%, and Manitoba at 27.9%. The percentage was lowest in Yukon at 15.5%, Northwest Territories at 16.4%, and Quebec at 18.0%.
