Food Insecurity
Canada’s food-waste problem is out of control. Here’s how to break the cycle.
Sixty per cent of Canada’s food is thrown out every year. Together, we could drive that number down to zero.
I’ve worked hard my whole life and I can’t afford food
“You shouldn’t have to choose between paying rent or eating dinner, but that’s the choice we face”
The Food Diaries: Winnipeg
“Making calculations on our Excel sheet to see what food we can buy is like a part-time job”
Food Diaries: Toronto
“I’m lactose-intolerant but I can no longer afford lactose-free milk”
The Food Diaries: Prince Edward Island
“The cost of food has risen, but my pension hasn’t”
The Food Diaries: Vancouver
“Technically I’m middle class. I have a good job. And yet we’re just getting by. Everything is going up except our income.”
The Food Diaries: Groceries on a budget in Edmonton
“I don’t go grocery shopping with a list. I just go in and look for discounted items.”
How food stamp programs at local markets are improving access to fresh foods
Montreal-based Carte Proximité offers debit-like cards redeemable at farmers’ markets to allow food insecure families to buy local produce while supporting nearby growers
Canadian food insecurity by the numbers
A look at some of the staggering statistics behind the national crisis
How urban hens can help cities become food secure
Backyard hens provide a cheap, nutritious and regular source of protein for little investment. Cities can do more to help Canadians embrace them.
The Cost: One week of groceries in Toronto’s Kensington Market
This bike courier delivers for two food delivery apps, but earnings of $800-1200 per month means his budget is stretched thin
The idea: FoodRX, the prescribed food delivery program
“Food insecurity can affect everything from cognitive development to anxiety to diabetes,” says UHN’s Dr. Andrew Boozary, on the correlation between access to food and your health.