Rising prices contributing to food insecurity

Yesterday, I blogged on a recent study which highlighted the high prevalence of hunger and food insecurity in low-income neighbourhoods in Canada. In a recent interview, Susan Kirkpatrick, the co-author of the study, emphasized how the economic downturn has worsened levels of income and food insecurity.

But food insecurity is being exacerbated by more than just the recession. Today, the Globe and Mail reported that grocery prices have risen an average of 9.5 percent in the past year. And this past March, overall food prices have risen to a greater extent than any time in the past 28 years.

Global food prices skyrocketed last year, causing widespread concern about food security, particularly in developing nations. As food is a basic necessity, food prices have not dropped in Canada to the same extent as prices for other commodities since the recession began.

In addition, while inflation has recently remained low, it has still outpaced wage inflation. This has impacted food security by weakening the purchasing powerof individuals, particularly for those on low incomes.

These rising prices have serious implications for those living in poverty. Government policies that regulate the price of healthy food items and guarantee a livable income would go a long way towards ensuring that every Canadian could afford to eat well.