Nutritious meals unaffordable for many B.C. households: report

A B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) report says the cost of a basic, nutritious meal is too expensive for some B.C. households, and the health impacts go beyond just going hungry.

The BCCDC says it looked at how much a family of four would pay every month for a nutritious food basket filled with about 60 items Health Canada says make up a healthy diet.

The report found from May to June of 2022, that basket would cost $1,263 on average in B.C., but it would cost $1,311 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region.

It says food and living costs continue to increase, and the whole country is experiencing historic inflation levels.

Read more:

• Inflation likely slowed again in April, but Canadian economists say wage growth a top concern

• Federal grocery rebates will be issued this summer

• Walmart and Costco in Canada not making food inflation worse: experts

The BCCDC’s medical director for Population and Public Health Geoff McKee says food insecurity comes hand-in-hand with high inflation and puts a huge burden on B.C.’s healthcare system.

“We can see impacts on physical health, including health conditions that be associated with poor diet. We can see broader impacts on families – for example, food insecurity has been associated with increased risk of childhood asthma, as well as low-birthweight newborns. We can see impacts on mental health,” he said.

“Once you take away housing expenses, and then you take away the cost of food – those people who may be living on income assistance or disability assistance – they don’t have a lot left. Or in fact, it may be out of reach to have a healthy diet based.”

McKee says while the report doesn’t focus on solutions, it shows the main factor affecting food insecurity is not grocery prices, but income.

“I think this just emphasizes the importance of continuing to consider how we’re addressing the cost of living and these financial challenges that folks are experiencing in today’s day and age.”