Food inflation rate reaches 40-year high, forcing Maritimers to modify buying habits
The price of food purchases from Canadian stores was up 9.7 per cent in April compared to last year, making it the largest increase since September 1981.
Some Nova Scotians say it's easy to see the negative impacts inflation is having on their bank account.
“I got four bags (of groceries) and it cost me $90 and I didn’t buy any meat at all,” said Halifax resident Jocelyne Doucette.
Despite the increase in food costs, there appears to be no relief from the inflation and it’s hurting the customers - especially those already struggling to make ends meet.
Doucette says she's had to adjust her spending habits and diet, like cutting out buying red meat altogether.
“I always ate red meat,” she said. “A nice big steak.”
Compared to a year ago, Statistics Canada says the cost of fresh fruit was up 10 per cent, fresh vegetables gained 8.2 per cent and meat rose 10.1 per cent. The cost of bread rose 12.2 per cent, while pasta gained 19.6 per cent and rice added 7.4 per cent.
“It means your disposable income is going to shrink because more of it is now going towards food,” said Janet Music, a Dalhousie University food industry researcher.
Music says supply issues and labour shortages are driving up the cost of food. She also points to the Russian invasion of Ukraine as a factor.
The skyrocketing price of oil and gas has directly impacted food inflation as well.
Music suggests an answer to that might be to shorten the supply chain and manufacture more food here at home.
“We do get a lot of our food from global trading partners,” said Music. “And manufacturing in Atlantic Canada has gone down significantly.”
Music says there is a role government can play in all of this, but adds there’s no short-term solution to inflation.
She says it could be quicker for the major food suppliers to step up and help ease some of the impacts by offering more food discounts inside the store and bringing forward more food coupon programs to offer more savings back to customers.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Fire in Labrador town under control, officials tells residents to stay away
RCMP say the fire that prompted a state of emergency in a Labrador town is now under control.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Iraq investigates a blast at a base of Iran-allied militias that killed 1. U.S. denies involvement
Iraqi authorities said Saturday that they were investigating an explosion that struck a base belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of Iran-allied militias, killing one person and injuring eight.