The high cost of food in Ontario’s Far North are being highlighted in a new report from the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority.
A study conducted in 2022 found a family of four paid an average of almost $1,800 a month to eat healthy.
The study says that equates to nearly a quarter of household incomes and 62% for those receiving disability payments or Ontario Works.
It is suggested food purchases should account for 10-20% of household income.
Food costs were also found to be substantially higher than in other parts of the province.
“Communities have raised concerns about the high cost of food and its relationship to illnesses like diabetes,” states Janet Gordon, the Health Authority’s Vice President of Community Health.
“Our report underscores the urgent need for collaborative efforts among government agencies, community partners, and private sector to implement sustainable, community-led solutions that improve food affordability and food security.”
“We will use this report to help advocate for more resources and supports to address the high cost of food and other inequities impacting First Nations communities,” says Candi Edwards, Director of Approaches to Community Wellbeing.
“Our efforts will continue to focus on supporting community food sovereignty initiatives, exploring opportunities to negotiate prices with vendors and advocate for policy
changes that prioritize Indigenous food sovereignty and address issues such as land rights, food security, and environmental protection.”
The report comes more than a year after the Health Authority released a report on diabetes that indicated people living in Sioux Lookout area First Nations get diabetes at a younger age and experience severe complications at a higher rate compared to the rest of Ontario.
