New reports highlight rising food prices in B.C.
It’s more proof that the rising cost of groceries has begun to crush the finances of families.
A series of reports show that food banks are expecting another increase in demand this year. The rate of child poverty has increased and shoppers are no longer loyal to their regular food markets. This in an attempt by shoppers to make ends meet.
“I shop around, whoever has the best deals, that’s the grocery store that I go to,” said Kimmie Iyer.
Iyer is not alone. Researchers at Dalhousie University have found that nearly two thirds of Canadians have done away with loyalty, swapping grocery stores in search of better deals.
“Which is actually quite substantial because grocery shopping is something that is driven by habits,” said Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University.
It appears the majority of Canadians are now breaking those habits under ever-increasing food prices.
“We are seeing increased demand day over day, week over week,” said Treska Watson, director of operations for the Mustard Seed Food Bank in Victoria.
Watson says that demand shows no signs of slowing down. According to the Yearly Hunger Count Survey, food bank use across the country is up 78.5 per cent since 2019.
“We have never ever seen this steep of an increase,” said Watson.
In a new report conducted by Second Harvest, Canada’s largest food rescue organization, food banks will need to brace themselves for an 18-per-cent increase in demand this year.
That translates to more than 1 million people throughout the country needing to turn to a food bank this year to get by.
“One of the most troubling demographics that we’ve seen is use is up with double income families,” said Watson. “What that means is single parents are in an even tougher situation.”
At the Victoria Single Parent Resource Centre, that assumption is confirmed.
“We found that single parents were experiencing food shortages,” said Melissa Masse, executive director of the Victoria Single Parent Resource Centre.
That organization runs a weekly member market day, giving away free groceries.
“Since December I’ve had 500 families come through our market and with the 500 families, we’ve seen 800 children being fed,” said Masse.
The 2023 BC Child Poverty Report Card shows that one in seven children in B.C. is now living in poverty.
Overall, the child poverty rate is 14.3 per cent. It jumps to 31 per cent for kids living on reserve and more than 40 per cent for children in single-parent households.
“Which is a sad state to be in, especially knowing that one in five Canadian children come from a single-parent home,” said Masse.
It’s not just food prices putting immense pressures on families. Interest rates and rising rents are key factors that are causing many to have to choose between food or shelter.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.