Expensive food prices aren’t the issue at all

The high cost of food isn’t the only reason people cannot pay for food. The main reason is poverty. The issue of poverty is systemic, which is usually the result of poor policies of the government as well as income inequality and other systems-wide types of discrimination.

It is estimated that the the average Canadian household had a 16-percent increase in their income between 1999 and 2022. However, the amount used to purchase housing increased by 12 percent while spending on health care increased by 35.6 percent.

Additionally, those who are poorer are looking at systemic issues, including colonialism and racism, as the main obstacles to attaining the goal of food security. Even with low costs for food, the racialized population faces numerous challenges in attaining food security. Discrimination based on race leads to the accumulation of economic and social disadvantages that make it more difficult to access food.

The income inequality in Canada has risen significantly in the 1990s and 1980s. The pattern isn’t changing. The that are most susceptible to experiencing poverty are Indigenous Peoples and race-based Canadians.

According to the latest recensement, 18.8 percent of Indigenous residents resided in households with low incomes in comparison to 7.9 percent of the population that is non-Indigenous. The Indigenous people of Canada suffer from food insecurity at rates between two and five times greater than other Canadians.

A study called the First Nation Food, Nutrition, and Environment Study found that those who had access to food that was sourced through traditional practices were more secure and less likely to suffer from complicated health issues like heart disease and diabetes. For those living in these households, the possibility of cultivating and harvesting food for themselves and their family was more significant than having lower costs for food.

The food that is inexpensive costs money

Bananas that are conventionally grown are among the least expensive foods available in Canadian supermarkets. They’ve contributed to the ongoing underpayment of farm workers and farmers, as well as child labor practices, the loss of biodiversity, and environmental pollution.

This means that conventional bananas are a lot more expensive price than fair trade ones. The majority of this is due to low wages and an absence of social security for farm workers and farmers. If they purchase organic bananas that are fair traded, the consumer can contribute significantly to sustainability and increase equity.