Families in Huron Perth are spending over $250 a week to get the bare necessities, and that number is only going to go up, says a report from the local health unit.
The Real Cost of Eating in Huron and Perth was released this week and shows that a local family of four receiving Ontario Works would need to spend 39% of their income on food to meet the recommendations of Canada’s Food guide.
The cost of groceries for a family of four in Huron Perth was $249 per week, or $1,076 per month.
That figure doesn’t even include essential non food items like toiletries, personal care items or cleaning products.
The cost was determined by calculating the average retail price of 59 food items at six local grocery stores.
The report says when people struggle to buy food, their health suffers, and they offer suggestions to tackle food insecurity like implementing a basic income guarantee and increasing social assistance.
Solutions are needed soon as Statistics Canada forecasts grocery prices will climb another 5-7% next year.
To learn more, visit the Huron Perth Public Health’s website.