Residents of one in five households in Peterborough are struggling to put food on the table, a recent report shows.
Peterborough Public Health is sounding the alarm about rising food insecurity in the region in light of the 2023 Addressing Food Insecurity in Peterborough report that shows nearly one in five residents of Peterborough city and county are worrying about running out of money for food.
Lauren Kennedy, registered dietitian at Peterborough Public Health, said the findings are “very concerning and it’s a very urgent problem.”
“This is an issue of dignity, and it’s also an issue of health — mental health and physical health,” she told kawarthaNOW. “We’ve seen across Ontario and Canada that the problem of food insecurity was already a problem, but it’s gotten worse between 2021 and 2022.”
The 2023 Addressing Food Insecurity in Peterborough report reveals that inadequate incomes are resulting in the highest rates of food insecurity our region has ever seen.
“It is no secret that the cost of food has gone up,” Kennedy stated in a news release. “Many people are really struggling to afford food, a basic human need. No one should have to choose between shelter or food.”
Although food prices have increased dramatically over the past year, insufficient income remains the key issue behind rising food insecurity, the health unit noted.
Joan DiFruscia, Peterborough Food Action Network member and chair of the Otonabee-South Monaghan Food Cupboard, has supported emergency food programs for more than 40 years.
“Food banks work hard to serve community members in need. But they are meant to be a temporary fix, not the solution,” DiFruscia said in the release. “They do not address the root cause of food insecurity. Systemic change is urgently needed, and increasing income is key.”
The health unit said it encourages residents to speak up about the need for more money to buy food.
“Raising incomes is the only way to prevent food insecurity,” said Dr. Thomas Piggott, medical officer of health, in the release. “Now is the time to stand up for more money for food.”
Households facing food insecurity may worry about running out of food before there is money to buy more, not be able to afford balanced or nutritious meals, not be able to buy food that meets individual and cultural needs, and/or they may miss meals, eat less food than needed, or even go days without food, the report noted.
About 19 per cent of local households faced food insecurity between 2020-2022 in Peterborough county and city. The 19 per cent figure is a three-year average from the Canadian Income Survey (CIS) that needs to be interpreted with caution due to a small sample size and variability in the sample, the report stated.
“Food insecurity numbers may be underestimated as CIS samples do not include unhoused individuals or Indigenous peoples living on-reserve.”
The 2023 Addressing Food Insecurity in Peterborough report is available on the health unit’s website.
