What is food insecurity?
Everyone should have the means to afford enough nutritious food. Unfortunately, this is not the case for many households in our region. Household food insecurity means a household does not have enough money for food.
In 2021-2022, 19.2% of households in the Southwestern Public Health region were food insecure. That's almost 1 in 5 households.
For people living on low or unreliable incomes, it can be hard to make ends meet. After paying for rent and food, they still have to pay for other basic expenses such as:
When money is tight people often cut their food budget to afford other basic expenses. They may eat less food than they need, skip meals, eat less nutritious foods, or go an entire day or several days without eating.
Why does household food insecurity matter?
Adults and children from food insecure households have poorer physical and mental health compared to adults and children from food secure households. Without enough food, children are more likely to get sick and struggle in school and adults are more likely to develop chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
What are the solutions?
Household food insecurity is a problem rooted in inadequate incomes.
The problem isn't the cost of food. The problem is that people don't have enough money to afford food.
Research shows that household food insecurity can be improved by policy changes that provide adequate and stable incomes. Income solutions allow people to make choices and decisions about which foods to buy and ensure the basic right to food. This may include:
- Jobs with a Livable Wage and benefits
- Social assistance rates that reflect the true cost of living
- A Basic Income Guarantee
What can you do?
- Learn more: Read the full 2023 Report:
Addressing Food Insecurity and Poverty in Oxford County, Elgin County, and the City of St. Thomas
- Spread the word: talk to your family and friends about household food insecurity and income solutions
- Support local poverty reduction efforts:
- Learn more about the Elgin St. Thomas Coalition to End Poverty https://povertycoalition.ca/
- Learn more about the Zero Poverty Plan in Oxford County https://www.oxfordcounty.ca/en/publications/Infrastructure-and-Environment/Draft_Zero_Poverty_Plan_20181024rev_sm.pdf
- Get involved during elections – your vote matters!