Opinion: Food or rent? Time to get serious about food safety

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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, recession and global conflicts, food insecurity is worsening around the world. Unexpectedly, Canada is one of the countries experiencing a food insecurity crisis, with food prices rising astronomically during the pandemic and reaching fever pitch by 2024.

Statistics Canada 2022 examines how Canadians are coping
with a high cost of living. Almost three-quarters of price increases before inflation peaked affected their ability to make ends meet.
expenses. According to the 2024 Food Price Report, the average family of four is expected to spend $16,297.20 on groceries this year, rising to $701.79 in 2023.

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The problem is widespread and growing, and it affects the poor
households, racial or indigenous income families, single mother households and people with disabilities.

Those unable to cope with rising food costs are forced to change their lifestyle and diet. When it comes down to it, many Canadians choose to skip dinner or choose unhealthy foods in order to pay their rent and other bills on time.

In a survey of 5,000 Canadians by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Laboratory, nearly 63 percent reported that they were concerned that “compromising nutrition due to high food prices could have a long-term negative impact on their health.” Indeed, food insecurity is strongly linked to poor health, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and poor bone health.

A number of reports also document household food insecurity as a risk factor for mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. Healthcare utilization caused by food insecurity is sure to overburden our already crumbling healthcare system.

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As food prices soar, many Canadians wonder: Who's to blame? A survey published by Dalhousie's Agri-Food Analytics Lab found that more than a quarter of respondents believe that the main reason for higher food prices is profiteering or price gouging by food chains.

The Canadian Competition Bureau has since made a number of recommendations
improving competition in the food industry. Support new and innovative types of food business (including online stores),
the growth of independent and international food producers and taking measures to limit ownership control in the food industry.

However, in our view, there are significant gaps in the Bureau's assessment, particularly regarding the pricing strategies of large grocers. Moreover, these recommendations are not enough unless they are properly implemented. Further action may include stabilizing food prices, increasing discounts, and implementing price matching campaigns.

Food insecurity goes beyond the issue of high food prices and reveals the deeper reality of increasing poverty in Canada. Recognizing the growing demand for its services, Food Banks Canada stressed the importance of developing a multi-pronged approach to address this systemic problem, starting at the federal level. This includes rebuilding our broken social safety net, focusing on affordable housing, supporting low-income workers, and addressing food insecurity and poverty in the far north.

Only through a combination of regulatory efforts and industry action can the burden of high food costs be eased for Canadian consumers. It is a shame that millions of people in our country are struggling without access to food. Alarm bells should be ringing among policymakers, who must do more to regulate the food industry to protect Canadians.

Systematically reducing food insecurity in our country should be a priority for public health, which requires immediate attention. This will not only improve the quality of life for Canadians, but also ease the growing burden on health services.

Milka Mekonnen, Tasmin Adel and Kari Guo are students in McGill University's Master of Science in Public Health program.

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