Food Insecurity in Canada

Malnutrition is a problem in canada

In 2022, 16.9% of Canadians were food insecure. (Statistics Canada, 2024)

What does it mean to be food insecure?

Food insecurity means a lack of access or quality of food due to financial difficulties. Food insecurity can come in three different levels of severity.

Close to 1 in 10 (9.9%) Canadians were living in poverty in 2022. (Statistics Canada, 2024)

Who is at risk of food insecurity?

Low income households, Households reliant on government funding, Non-homeowners, Households with children, Single parents, African-Canadian households, and Indigenous households.

"About one-third (34.0%) of people living in lone-parent families faced food insecurity in 2022." (Statistics Canada, 2024)

"Food insecurity for those who belonged to a racialized group was 20.7% in 2022". (Statistics Canada, 2024)

"In 2022, [] 33.0% of First Nations people living off reserve and 23.8% of Métis experienced food insecurity." (Stats Canada, 2024)

How may this be affected by tariffs?

Tariffs that the US may impose will affect the current food insecure individuals, increase the amount of food insecure Canadians, and increase its severity. This is due to the inevitable increase in food and product prices caused by tariff increases. This will make food and essentials more expensive and unattainable for many individuals.

Three levels to food insecurity (Dietitians of Canada, 2024)

Marginal food insecurity: Fear of running out of food because there is no more money to buy more.

Moderate food insecurity: Lower quality foods due to money constraints and fear of running out of food due to lack of money to buy more.

Severe food insecurity: May miss meals due to lack of food with no more money to buy more.

Resources

Statistics Canada:

https://www.statcan.gc.ca/o1/en/plus/6257-canadians-are-facing-higher-levels-food-insecurity#

Dietitians of Canada:

https://www.dietitians.ca/DietitiansOfCanada/media/Images/DC-Household-Food-Insecurity-Position-Statement_2024_ENG_1.pdf?ext=.pdf

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