Unpacking the Link Between Rising Costs and Food Insecurity
It’s no secret that the current economic climate has many Canadians feeling some pressure. As food prices continue to climb, many households are finding it increasingly difficult to put nutritious meals on the table. Unsustainable housing costs, household sizes and challenges in both urban and rural areas are all contributing to this affordability crisis. As a result, many are resorting to drastic measures to cope with the financial strain.
By exploring these interconnected factors, we can better understand the complexities of food insecurity and its impact on our communities
1. Rising Food Costs
According to Canada’s Food Price Report (CFPR), food prices in 2025 were forecast to see an increase of 3-5%. In April 2025 we saw an overall increase of 3.8%, with fresh, nutrient dense foods seeing the highest markup. When weekly grocery shopping, consumers may have noticed that fruits and vegetables saw the highest spike at 3.7%, followed by fresh or frozen beef at 16.2%, and even coffee surging 13.4%.
Breaking down a 2024 report from Data Hen, we know that rising food costs are nothing new. From 2017-2024 consumers saw fruits and veggies increase 41%, primarily due to logistical costs and keeping up with a higher demand, eggs rising an incredible 36% bumping a carton to over $5, and animal proteins going up 37%. With the recommended diet through Canada’s food guide suggests half a plate of fruits and veggies and a quarter protein rich food, how are the majority of the population affording this?
With pressures to keep within a budget, Canadians have been shifting their choices to better suit their bank accounts. While fruits and veggies are still the top consumed food items at 73%, meat is only at 60% with consumers opting to choose plant-based proteins if the price tag is more appealing. The Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University saw growth in 2025 with people choosing to be more flexible with their protein sources, with 11.4% of people opting for plant-based proteins first and minimizing animal proteins, an increase from the 9.1% of people identifying this way in 2024. The key variable in this decision – shifting what they are purchasing based on cost.
2. Housing Costs Going Up and Up
The affordability crisis affects more than just grocery bills. The rising housing costs are causing families and individuals to struggle to maintain even a modest lifestyle that was once typical for the middle class. Almost 70% of all Canadians who access food banks are currently in market rent housing, with people under the age of 45 or who have been in Canada for less than 10 showing the highest numbers. This also tends to be more common in cities and urban centers that have a population of 100, 000 or more. Even homeowners saw a 6.7% increase in rates, creating an even larger gap between the cost of owning vs renting. According to Food Banks Canada’s annual poverty report, in 2024 46.6% of people living in BC spent more than 30% of their income on housing, both renters and homeowners.
While some people manage to ebb and flow with the economy due to manageable shelter, 1 in 10 people in BC are living in housing that is beyond their means, forcing them to make tough choices.
3. Urban vs. Rural: Is there an area that creates more bang for their buck
In recent years we’ve seen a surge of people leaving large cities in preference of rural or smaller city centers, commonly to alleviate cost of living stressors. While housing and typical lifestyle costs might lessen, are grocery prices truly more affordable in these areas?
Many factors go into creating grocer pricing such as transportation, which can fluctuate with gas and oil prices, demand and competition with local stores. So, which variables are most likely to affect your food prices?
4. Singles, Couples, Families – How are they affected?
Food insecurity is hitting people at all stages of life. At the GVFB our data collected from client visits shows that while at 62% the majority of clients identify as a family, living in a household of 3 or more, we see 20% being couples and 19% of clients as single. Based on our data, seniors, who typically fall under the category of couples or singles, make up 3000 members of our client base – an astonishing number.
According to Canada’s Food Price Report 2025 the predicted cost of food for a family of four would be approximately $16, 833.67 annually, making the monthly cost just over $1400. While people can plan for it, multiple mouths to feed makes it hard to stay on a strict budget. Kids, while growing tend to need smaller more frequent meals and at times can be wasteful with food. This doesn’t even consider whether one or more people in the family have allergies, and special food is required which could drive up costs.
The same report predicted that a couple in Canada would spend approximately $7,969.78 annually, or just over $660 monthly. Even with these predictions, the formula should work out to have healthy finances, with the median income for a dual income household in 2022 being over $110,000. However, with the cost of living rising, many couples even living in modest conditions find it hard to provide themselves with the basics and still have funds left over.
Singles, depending on their living situation, may be in challenging predicaments. With Statistics Canada’s Canada at a glance, 2023, showing the median income for a single detached person averaging at $36,100, and the average rent being between $1500-$1770, singles living alone are spending over half their monthly income just on housing. On top of this could still be utilities, phone, food, transportation and internet, all essentials to live in the modern world.
We can see that the size of household doesn’t mean you’re safe from experiencing food insecurity. For many, using a food bank is a service they never thought they would require, but have found themselves in need of.
5. The Reality of Secret Trade-Offs
Several reports have come out over the past few years stating that Canadian shoppers are strategizing their approach to grocery trips. Agri-Food Canada reported that based on their 2023 research 70% of consumers have changed the way they purchase food, with up to 50% of people even lowering the number of food items they are purchasing.
One of the biggest trends researchers are seeing is Canadians actively seeking out items that provide the most value for a lower cost. Some of the behavioral changes noted include switching to a cheaper brand, reducing spending on any non-essential items and restricting the purchase of high-ticket items to only when there are discounts or sales. However, some changes being made are not as small of an adjustment, with many people choosing a less nutritious diet to afford enough sustenance, while others are skipping meals all together to keep themselves from financially drowning, an alarming fact to most Canadians.
Through a food insecurity examination by Food Banks Canada and Pollara Strategic Insights published this year, they found that 29% of Canadians are struggling to pay their bills, feeling the strain of the financial climate. This same report found that 23% of people reported being unable to afford enough food for themselves or their families.
So, what does this mean?
It’s not just a few pricey groceries that are causing people to shift their habits, it’s the mounting weight of the price of essential items such as housing, food, gas and transportation, going up faster than a person’s income has. Essential items have also become a growing list. What once was a simple list that could fall under food, water, shelter, clothing, now adds on technology, transportation, health and wellness costs, and the list could go on.
Over 18% of GVFB clients say the cost-of-living expenses are the reason behind their visits to the food bank, with 33% expressing low wages or a restricted income such as pension as their primary reason. The ability to budget has become challenging and people are already cutting down on entertainment and dine in and take out food just to make ends meet. When you’ve taken off all the excess what is there left to cut but that of the essentials.
The GVFB is here to help people experiencing food insecurity by providing healthy food to those in need. If you or your family need assistance, please contact us at reception@foodbank.bc.ca or 604.876.3601. To access more resources that may help you please see the directory below.
The GVFB envisions a British Columbia where everyone has access to healthy food through efficient distribution, innovation, and partnerships.
Additional Resources
211 British Columbia: Home – Homepage – 211 British Columbia
Agency Partners of the GVFB within Vancouver: Community Agencies | Greater Vancouver Food Bank
Agency Partners of the GVFB in BC: Provincial Agencies | Greater Vancouver Food Bank
References used for research
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Canada Mortgage and Housing Corportation. (2024). Vancouver – Historical Average Rents by Bedroom Type. CMHC.
(2025). Canada’s Food Price Report . Halifax: Dalhousie University.
Charlebois, S. (2025, May 12). Canada’s Protein Future Is Flexible, Not Plant Based. Retrieved from Retailer Insider:https://retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2025/05/canadas-protein-future-is-flexible-not-plant-based/
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