Northern Ontario communities spend more than half of income on food:Report
TORONTO — A new report suggests people living in remote northern Ontario communities spend more than half their income on food to meet basic nutritional needs.
The report from Food Secure Canada looked at the cost of certain food items in three northern Ontario reserves — Moose Factory, Fort Albany and Attawapiskat — located in the Mushkegowuk territory, along the James Bay Coast.
It found on-reserve households in Fort Albany must spend at least 50 per cent of their median monthly income to buy food for a basic nutritious diet. The report said a “reasonable assumption” suggests Attawapiskat and Moose Factory must do so as well.
“For households that live on fixed incomes, spending more than half of their monthly income on food leaves little for other basic needs and does not allow for unexpected monthly costs,” the report said. “When forced to choose, people pay for fixed expenses first, and food becomes a ‘flexible’ element of the household budget, despite the centrality of food to ensuring long-term health and well being.”