Federal Research Shows Many Canadians Believe Ottawa is ‘Behind’ in Addressing Rising Food Prices
According to in-house Privy Council research, Canadians are not giving much credit to the Liberal government for its efforts to combat food inflation. Some participants in federal focus groups on high food costs described Ottawa’s actions as “late” and “insufficient.”
The October 2023 report titled “Continuous Qualitative Data Collection Of Canadians’ Views” revealed that many questioned why action had not been taken sooner and with greater urgency, considering rising food costs have been evident for years. Participants felt that the Government of Canada should have taken more proactive measures to prevent the situation from becoming a crisis.
Most focus group participants mentioned they were unaware of any government actions to address the high cost of groceries. A few remembered the one-time grocery rebate for eligible lower-income Canadians.
Upon learning about the measures the Liberal government had taken to combat food inflation, most participants reacted positively. However, they expressed concern about the effectiveness of these measures and whether major grocery chains would follow through on their commitments to stabilize prices.
While some participants used positive words like “promising,” “fair,” and “helping” to describe federal action on food inflation, others considered it “reactive,” “late,” and “insufficient.”
Survey participants noted that the high cost of groceries in Canada was affecting their spending habits, with many opting to cook more meals at home instead of dining out.
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The information was gathered from focus groups held in Prince Edward Island, Quebec, the Greater Toronto Area, and Edmonton. The questionnaires were part of an $814,741 contract with The Strategic Counsel.
In March 2023, there were over 1.9 million visits to food banks in Canada, marking a 32 percent increase from the previous year, according to a report by Food Banks Canada. A study from Second Harvest’s annual “Hungry for Change” project projected an 18 percent increase in food bank demand for 2024, with 36 percent of food banks expected to turn away hungry individuals.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne stated on April 30 that the Liberal government remains committed to addressing grocery prices, emphasizing that affordability is a top priority in their initiatives.
