It’s not just Trump-O-Nomics. But the confusion and uncertainty surrounding the US President’s crazy economic beliefs and Canada’s counter-tariffs are certainly contributing to a spike in food insecurity among our most vulnerable citizens…
Statistics Canada reports that food insecurity among Canadians has reached new highs. The latest official figures show 18 percent of Canadian families reported experiencing food insecurity in 2022, up from 16 percent in 2021. (2022 is the latest year for which full, detailed numbers are available).
Even though the latest official statistics are relatively stale, newer (quarterly) spot figures confirm that the trends and predictions identified in 2023 have unfolded as expected, and continue to shape the current and predicted food insecurity picture.
Key findings…
The report’s key findings were summed up in a few poignant points… Among them:
- Food insecurity was the lowest in Quebec (14%), and…
- Highest in Newfoundland and Labrador (23%), New Brunswick (22%) and Alberta (22%).
- Families with a female major income earner were more likely to be food insecure compared to those with a male major income earner – 21% versus 16%.
- Moreover, food insecurity was highest among female lone parent families (41%).
- More than one-third (35%) of families living below the poverty line reported food insecurity, double the proportion for families living above the poverty line (16%).
- The risk of being food insecure was much higher among certain groups living below the poverty line.
Vital statistics
Why are food insecurity numbers are so important? Simply, they are directly associated with a wide variety of social-economic issues – not the least of which is health care. According to the new Stats-Can report Food Security is…
Officially defined as…
“When all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to suf-ficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life”.
There are four dimensions of food security, including: “Physical availability of food, economic and physical access to food; food utilization; and stability of the other three dimensions over time. All four dimensions must be fulfilled simultaneously for food security objectives to be met.”
On the other hand…
Food INsecurity is defined as: “The inability to acquire or consume an adequate diet quality or suf-ficient quantity of food in socially acceptable ways, or the uncertainty that one will be able to do so.”
Food insecurity usually results from an inability to access adequate food due to financial constraints. It is a serious concern as it has been found to be associated with various chronic conditions; mental health problems; and other diseases and infections. It has also been found to increase the likelihood of hospitalization; and has been linked to premature mortality.
Key indicator…
Now known as a key indicator in the goal of reducing poverty, monitoring the prevalence of food se-curity was first identified in the 2018 Opportunity for All – Canada’s First Poverty Reduction Strategy. It has since been reinforced with the 2021 Government of Canada Quality of Life Framework that identifies food security as a well-being indicator, falling under the ‘prosperity’ domain.
My take
Younger gens may not be shocked to hear the latest food insecurity numbers. But Boomers like me will be thinking… What a contrast to the picture painted by the government and independent econo-mists just after the Second World War. At that time, the world was dusting itself off, and preparing to rebuild after a time of unprecedented upheaval in all dimensions: economic, social and political.
Looking ahead, the so-called experts proclaimed, “the next century belongs to Canada!” The notion being that we were uniquely positioned among the Western nations to take fullest advantage of the opportunities and possibilities the coming decades were expected to offer.
Alas… For one reason or another, it hasn’t worked out that way…
~ Maggie J.