Nearly half of all Canadians report difficulty feeding their family: Poll
BNN Bloomberg
The rising cost of goods is taking its toll on Canadian households with almost half (46 per cent) of all respondents in a recent survey stating they have some difficulty covering their grocery bill.
The rising cost of goods is taking its toll on Canadian households with almost half (46 per cent) of all respondents in a recent survey stating they have some difficulty covering their grocery bill.
More than one-third (37 per cent) of Canadians polled by the Angus Reid Institute said it’s been "difficult" to afford enough food to feed their household during the pandemic. Nine per cent said it’s been "very difficult".
The poll's findings come on the same day Canadian inflation data is due for the month of September. Canada’s annual inflation rate hit an 18-year high of 4.1 per cent in August, according to Statistics Canada. As well, federal support programs related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including wage and rent subsidies, are set to expire on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the majority of the survey's respondents don’t see their wages increasing fast enough to offset increases to consumer prices, even if they're just transitory – or temporary – as many economists maintain.
When asked if their earnings increased enough to offset a higher grocery bill, 37 per cent of respondents said “No, not enough”, while 42 per cent said, “No, not even close”.
Survey respondents were given a choice as to which issue is of greater concern: the rising cost of living, or losing income or employment. Nearly nine out of 10 people polled (87 per cent) said the rising cost of living was their main concern.
