Systemic Food Insecurity in Canada Worsens During COVID-19

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According to popular belief and neo-Malthusian theory, it is suggested that humanity will eventually cause its own demise due to an inability to feed its growing population. However, the global human population is actually not suffering from a lack of food. Rather, there is a severely disproportionate and unequal distribution of food between global populations. In fact, if all the food that was produced around the globe was equally divided among all people on Earth, everyone would be able to consume almost 3000 calories a day; well over the daily recommended caloric intake of around 2000 calories per day for the average adult. This points to the genuine ability for global resources to sustain the human population. Yet, why are there over 690 million people undernourished globally? And why do 1 million Canadians still need to seek out food banks on a monthly basis? Although food waste is a significant issue that is perpetuated by Canada’s food chain, there are also other significant issues that point to the causes behind serious food insecurity for many communities including unique geographical location and inadequate social assistance programs.

Food wastage is at the root of this paradox: while food insecurity afflicts many, 365 million pounds of food gets thrown out daily around the world. This paradox is embodied by the urban-rural divide of food production and consumption. One-quarter of all purchased food and one-third of the global food production ends up being wasted, and this figure is more pronounced in urban communities. Meanwhile, over 70% of the world’s food production occurs in rural farms and farms, yet food insecurity and poverty are also most pronounced in rural communities. In North America, as much as 30-40% of food is discarded at the farming level due to its unlikeable appearance. At the market level, only foods assessed as aesthetically pleasing and of high freshness, also known as “Grade A” foods, get shelved for display. Additionally, produce that is not sold by the end of its sale cycle is thrown out, even if the product is still edible, because of strict produce sale cycles. As a result, our current food waste patterns create a variety of issues, including the inequity of food accessibility around the globe and the immense impact of increased landfill buildup on growing greenhouse gases and environmental degradation. Food waste reduces the amount of food accessible to the wider population, hence reinforcing food security issues.

From a national perspective, Canada also faces its own food security challenges. Due to only seven percent of the country’s land being arable and dramatic seasonality and climate, many products must be shipped in or grown in greenhouses, and this increases food prices. In particular, Northern communities face exponentially higher food prices than market value. For the Northern archipelago of Nunavut, a region known for its unique fly-in communities and exorbitant food prices, it is estimated that almost 50% of all households regularly struggle with bringing food to the table. Furthermore, across the country, at least a tenth of the population experiences similar difficulties due to income disparities in many communities with singular industries and economic sectors which prevent the full integration of the population in the workforce. These mono-industrial areas also usually feature low social mobility, and as a result, there is a greater dependency on the government to cover basic needs. There are also racial differences in the conversation about food security: black Canadians and Indigenous peoples are at a higher risk of food insecurity in the country due to systemic and fundamental inequities of income and regional variations in access and opportunities. 

Food insecurity is a significant issue in Canada, and there are many levels of aid implemented by the government to assist individuals who struggle with fulfilling this basic need. The Canadian government engages in the formulation of many welfare programs to assist struggling individuals to transition out of food poverty. However, there are still many who fall through the cracks due to the genuine diversity of living situations and the lack of focus on localized perspectives. The issue of Canadian food insecurity lies in the rapidly disappearing blue-collar jobs due to increased mechanization, and the increasing need for highly skilled labourers. Due to the loss of these entrance employment opportunities, many Canadians find themselves impoverished and unable to afford food regularly. Next, some individuals struggle with food insecurity due to senior and disability pensions that do not effectively cover all basic needs. Additionally, there is often inadequate social assistance for people facing difficult times, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overarching assistance programs, unfortunately, do not promote upward economic mobility for families with many financial burdens, causing long-term reliance on these programs. Rather, higher wages and job opportunities, especially in mono-industrial communities, can lessen the burden of food accessibility. Furthermore, in response to dramatic job loss since March 2020, many Canadians scrambled for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and other COVID-related financial aid. However, there were many individuals with special circumstances who were not eligible for the benefit. Furthermore, some individuals received it and still struggled with food security and covering other basic needs throughout the past year. 

It is estimated that 4.5 million Canadians are food insecure, and this number has risen by almost 40% due to the impact of COVID-19. One type of ongoing aid is food banks which have surged in public demand during the pandemic. Food banks were initiated in Canada in the 1980s as a response to the limitations in income assistance programs for struggling individuals; today, almost 1 million Canadians regularly seek help from 4000 food banks on a monthly basis. Seen originally as a temporary solution to slowly phase out its influence with broader social assistance from the government, many food banks were still being maintained into the 21st century due to the inability of state programs to cover all basic needs. This points to the importance of recognizing how food access and donations do not solve food insecurity; rather, it is steady income that facilitates regular access to food. The people who face low food security are often located in geographical areas with high job precariousness, but not necessarily situated in an area with a lack of food on grocery shelves. The food items in these communities are present and ready to be purchased but they are not affordable in relation to the average income, and affordable items are of lower nutritional value. 

Food waste and disproportional access is an ongoing global issue affecting millions of people and their daily nourishment. The world does not lack food—instead, food security is an issue of long-term accessibility and affordability. Locally, Canadian food corporations can reduce their impact on food insecurity by investing in localized production and consumption. A growing national population also brings new priorities and allocations of resources to support it. At the macro level, community-focused basic income projects and mobility assistance may be more beneficial in the long-term compared to everlasting food bank projects. Minimum wages need to be raised to support Canadians living in areas of high precariousness and living costs. This will in turn also increase employment opportunities at the local level and reduce government program dependency for food access. As a result, long-term changes to food systems and employment opportunities can reshape Canada’s relationship with food access and equity.