Cost of Eating in Eastern Ontario
Monitoring Food Affordability
The Cost of Eating in 2023
Food Insecurity in EOHU Region
Impact of Food Insecurity
Effective Solutions to Food Insecurity
What is the EOHU Doing?
What Can You Do?
Monitoring Food Affordability
Each year, the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) monitors food costs using the Nutritious Food Basket (NFB) survey tool. In 2022, the NFB was updated to reflect the new Canada’s Food Guide and is now called the Monitoring Food Affordability (MFA) survey tool.
The results from the MFA tool are used to monitor trends in the cost of food over time as well as the affordability and accessibility of foods by relating the cost of food to individual and household incomes using case scenarios. By comparing the cost of food in different income and family scenarios, we can raise awareness about food affordability and accessibility and in turn assist decision makers to create sound health, nutrition and social programs as well as supportive policies. For instance, the Ontario Living Wage Network uses this data to calculate the annual living wage. Locally, community groups have used the data for campaigns and to engage local and provincial decision makers in identifying income-based solutions to address poverty and food insecurity.
Please note that the ONFB was revised in 2022, and the results from this year cannot be compared to 2021 or previous years.
The ONFB survey prices 61 food items using the lowest available cost in eight regional grocery stores to calculate the average price. All items meet Canada’s Food Guide recommendations. It is assumed that people have the time, skill, and equipment needed to cook these food items. The tool does not include prepared convenience foods or household non-food items, such as toiletries.
The Cost of Eating in 2023
The cost of eating for a family of four living in the EOHU region is $1175 per month.1 This represents an increase of 6.8% from 2022, which is 75$ more a month for families.
The case scenarios, shown in Table 1 demonstrate that for low-income households, incomes are inadequate to pay basic living costs of food, housing, transportation, childcare, and clothing.
For example:
- After paying for rent and food, a family of 4 on Ontario Works (OW) has only $521 left to cover all other expenses.
- A single person living on OW or Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) spends most of their income on rent. There is no money left for food or other expenses.
Table 1. Monitoring Food Affordability Income Scenarios, EOHU Region, 2023.
| Scenarios | Total monthly incomea | Housingb | Foodc | Funds remaining for other costs of basic living |
|
Family of 4* |
$2800 | $1104 | $1175 | $521 |
| Family of 4* Full-Time Minimum Wage Earner |
$4166 | $1104 | $1175 | $1887 |
| Family of 4* Median Income |
$9323 | $1104 | $1175 | $7011 |
| Single Parent with 2 Children Ontario Works |
$2566 | $906 | $864 | $796 |
| 1 Person Ontario Works |
$868 | $658 | $422 | $-212 |
| 1 Person Ontario Disability Support Program |
$1372 | $735 | $422 | $215 |
| 1 Person Old Age Security/Guaranteed Income Supplement |
$1996 | $735 | $304 | $957 |
| Married Couple Ontario Disability Support Program |
$2437 | $735 | $702 | $1000 |
| Single Pregnant Person Ontario Disability Support Program |
$1412 | $735 | $399 | $278 |
| Single Parent with 2 Children Full-Time Minimum Wage Earner |
$4308 | $906 | $714 | $2688 |
|
*Reference family of four: 31-50 year-old male, 31-50 year-old female, 14-18 year-old male, and 4-8 year-old female. Other types of households may have different costs. a. Total income sources vary by scenario and can include: income from employment; Basic Allowance; Maximum Shelter Allowance; Old Age Security/Guaranteed Income System; Canada Child Benefit; GST/HST credit; Ontario Trillium Benefit; Working Income Tax Benefit; Employment Insurance paid; Canada Pension Plan paid, Climate Action Incentive Payment. b. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Rental Market Statistics Summary by Metropolitan Areas, Census Agglomerations and Cities. Average cost of rent for Cornwall and Hawkesbury. Accessed October 19, 2023. [https://www03.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/hmip-pimh/en/TableMapChart/Table?TableId=2.1.31.2&GeographyId=35&GeographyTypeId=2&DisplayAs=Table&GeograghyName=Ontario#Bachelor%20 ] c. Reference: Ontario Nutritious Food Basket Data Results 2023 for Eastern Ontario Health Unit - Includes family size adjustment factors. |
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Food Insecurity in EOHU Region
Food insecurity refers to the inadequate or insecure access to food due to a lack of money. Food insecurity ranges in severity from being worried about running out of food to not being able to afford a balanced diet to going hungry.2
According to the most recent Canadian Income Survey (CIS) data available at the public health unit level, from 2018 to 2020, in the EOHU area:
- 15.3% of households said they had experienced some level of food insecurity at least once in the past 12 months3, and
- 16.1% of children are living in food insecurity.4
Impact of Food Insecurity
Household food insecurity takes a tremendous toll on the health care system. In Ontario, total annual health care costs are higher for adults living in food insecure households than food secure households, and these costs increase with the severity of food insecurity.5
Canadians living in food insecure households are also at greater risk of poor mental health than those living in food secure households.6 Children living in food insecure households are more likely to have been diagnosed with hyperactivity or attention deficit disorder.6
Effective Solutions to Food Insecurity
Food insecurity is about not having enough money for food.
Effective solutions to address food insecurity include the creation of jobs with livable wages and benefits, social assistance rates that reflect the true costs of living, and a basic income guarantee for all.
While charitable food programs such as food banks temporarily help by providing some food, they remain ineffective at addressing poverty, the root cause of food insecurity.
What is the EOHU Doing?
In 2023, the EOHU became a living wage employer, and is taking steps towards becoming an anti-oppressive employer. The EOHU is engaged in the Living Wage process for all of our communities.
The EOHU has also endorsed the Position statement on responses to food insecurity of the Ontario Dietitians in Public Health (ODPH) stating food insecurity is an urgent public health problem and that policies that improve the income of vulnerable households, such as a basic income guarantee, jobs with livable wages and benefits, and social assistance rates that reflect true costs of living, are required to effectively address food insecurity.
Other activities include monitoring and reporting on the provincial, regional and local prevalence and severity of food insecurity, its impact on health, and root causes, and building awareness and knowledge about the problem, effective interventions, and support for action. One way the EOHU does this, is by encouraging and enabling public health unit staff and board of health members to engage in ongoing awareness, education, and training opportunities on causes and implications of poverty and food insecurity.
Finally, the EOHU is collaborating with community partners, people who live in marginalized conditions and organizations working with people who live in marginalized conditions to determine local priorities to address food insecurity and poverty.
What Can You Do?
- Like and Follow the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) on Facebook and share our posts.
- Learn why food insecurity is a serious public health problem: PROOF: Household Food Insecurity in Canada
- Learn why income solutions are needed to reduce food insecurity: ODPH Position Statement and Recommendations on Responses to Food Insecurity
- Send a letter to your MP and MPP highlighting food insecurity as a key issue impacting the health of Canadians. ODPH has a letter template that you may use and edit as needed.
For more information about efforts underway to reduce food insecurity, or to learn about how we can support your advocacy efforts, please contact us at info@eohu.ca.
References
- Eastern Ontario Health Unit. Ontario Nutritious Food Basket Data Results. 2023.
- PROOF. Food Insecurity Policy Research. Household Food Insecurity in Canada. Retrieved from https://proof.utoronto.ca/food-insecurity/
- Public Health Ontario. Household Food Insecurity Estimates from the Canadian Income Survey: Ontario 2018-2020. Toronto. 2023.
- Public Health Ontario. Canadian Health Survey of Children and Youth: Food Insecurity among Children. Toronto. 2023.
- PROOF Food Insecurity Policy Research. The Impact of Food Insecurity on Health. Retrieved from https://proof.utoronto.ca/resource/the-impact-of-food-insecurity-on-health/
- PROOF Food Insecurity Policy Research. Food Insecurity and Mental Health. Retrieved from https://proof.utoronto.ca/resource/food-insecurity-and-mental-health/
