A new report finds more people are experiencing household food insecurity in our region.
The Real Cost of Eating in Huron Perth, released by Huron Perth Public Health, found that the cost of groceries for a family of four was $267 a week in 2023, or $1,155 a month.
That means a family of four receiving Ontario Works would spend 41 per cent of their income on food to meet the recommendations in Canada’s Food Guide.
“Too many families living with low income have to choose between paying rent and utilities, or buying food, because there simply isn’t enough money,” says Amy MacDonald, Registered Dietitian at HPPH. “It’s extremely distressing for people when they can’t afford to buy enough food; they are also much more likely to have poorer health.”
The cost of groceries was determined by calculating the average retail price of 61 food items at eight local grocery stores.
The report adds that solutions to the issue need to be income-based with supports like adequate old-age pensions and lower income taxes for the lowest income households.
