Food Insecurity in Canada Remains a National Concern

Photo by John Vid

Right to Food comments on the new figures from the Canadian Income Survey (CIS) showing that one in four people (nearly 10 million) in Canada, including 2.4 million children, are living in households that struggle to afford food.

The article states that, “although there was a slight decline in the share of individuals living in food-insecure households from 2024 to 2025, figures remain among the highest recorded over the past two decades of tracking” and notes that “the story isn’t about food access. It’s about inadequate incomes.”

Results listed include:

·      Parents missing meals so their kids can eat.

·      People buying cheaper and less nutritious food just to get by.

·      People skipping fresh produce (fruits and vegetables) entirely because it is too expensive.

·      Workers with full-time jobs still struggling to afford the basics.

Statistics from the CIS show that rates decreased slightly in every province and territory apart from Manitoba, which reported an increase. The hardest hit include:

·      Nunavut: 56.4%, down from 61.2%

·      Alberta: 28.4%, down from 31.3%

·      New Brunswick: 28.2%, down from 29.6%

·      Manitoba: 27.9%, up from 25.3%

Rates are higher than average for those living in single-mother households (47.4%) and adult individuals (18-64) living alone (30.4%) and for some demographics:

·      Black people: 41.3%

·      Indigenous people off-reserve: 34.7%

·      Arab people: 36.6%

·      Newcomers: 26.8%

·      Children: 30.8%

The article also points out that full data is not available for Indigenous people living on-reserve, people in remote communities, 2SLGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities.

The figures for poverty remained largely unchanged from the previous year. In 2024, about 4.5 million people - roughly 1 in 9 - lived below the poverty line. The Right to Food article points readers to Maytree’s report for a full analysis of the CIS poverty figures.

The article highlights three overlapping pressures on households:

1. Costs are rising faster than incomes

Even where wages have increased, they haven’t kept pace with the cost of living. Rent, food, and utilities all add up faster than paycheques can keep up.

2. Work isn’t enough anymore

The uncomfortable truth is that having a job doesn’t guarantee you can afford enough food. Many households that are experiencing food insecurity rely on employment as their main source of income. Many people who work and experience food insecurity work full-time hours.

3. Supports aren’t keeping up

Governments have introduced new measures – like the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB). But the benefit isn’t generous enough and it is also temporary. For many households accessing our social safety net, the numbers still don’t add up at the end of the month.

The article advocates:

If a policy lowers food insecurity, improves health outcomes, lowers health care spending, and reduces long-term strain on public systems, that’s not just compassionate, it’s economically prudent. And we know many of these solutions do not contribute significantly to inflation as families receiving benefits typically spend the money on basics.

Governments also have tools available to finance public programs and social investments, including progressive revenue measures and targeted taxation. The question is not simply whether governments can afford to act, but how they choose to allocate public resources and what outcomes they prioritize.

Ignoring food insecurity, meanwhile, carries costs of its own, and they are substantial. Those costs appear in the health care system, in education outcomes, in lost productivity, and in the long-term social and economic consequences of poverty itself.

Specific recommendations include:

·      Setting a clear goal to cut food insecurity in half as a measurable commitment tied to policy action.

·      Creating targeted income supports directed specifically at people who are currently struggling, e.g.:

o   Strengthening the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) by making it permanent, increasing payment amounts, closing gaps for working-age adults (especially 18-64) and accounting for the higher cost of food and other basics in the north.

o   Ensuring the Canada Disability Benefit lifts people with disabilities about the poverty line by increasing the amount, expanding eligibility, and simplifying the application process.

o   Reforming programs like Employment Insurance and the Canada Workers Benefit so that more workers are protected if they receive low wages or face temporary disruptions due to parental leave or job loss.

·      Addressing food insecurity for Indigenous Peoples, particularly this in northern and remote communities, including stronger support for Indigenous-led food systems and supporting land-based practices rooted in knowledge, culture, and self determination (see Right to Food’s Seeds of Sovereignty report.)