We asked, you answered: Here's how Canadians are working to survive the cost of living crisis
CBC
Major increases to the cost of shelter, food and fuel made life difficult for most this year.
And more Canadians worked several jobs just to keep up.
The CBC's recent series The Grind put work — particularly holding multiple jobs, by necessity — under the spotlight.
Many of the pieces included a feedback form, inviting readers to join the conversation.
We received dozens of responses from across the country, written by people from all walks of life. Many said they were barely surviving, worked to the brink of despair, and had little hope for the future.
Here's what we heard. (CBC News has edited responses for style and clarity.)
"I am retired with a damaged body. Both myself and my wife are fighting cancer. She is 62 so I have to pay for all her drugs. We are having to sell out and move to survive. I have depleted my lifetime RRSP savings already, and no way we can pay our taxes and mortgage on the $1,400-a-month pensions. I never expected to retire and be housebound due to lack of income. A previously happy positive man, I consider suicide every day."
– Peter Saunders, Ontario
"Two years ago, when I bought a house, my mortgage was affordable. With rate hikes since then, my payments have doubled, and at 71, I had to go back to work."
– Mark Trainor, St. Joseph Island, Ont.
"I live in B.C., age 65, live alone and will have to work full time till I die just to afford rent here. I've met many women my age recently in the same situation. Seniors no longer matter to anyone, it's just sad."
– Bernice Leduc, Port Alberni, B.C.
"I am a single mother. I have had to take in a student boarder to help pay for the bare minimum. I have a full-time job in a respectable field. I am struggling to live in our own country. Food costs, gas, taxes, insurance, clothing, bare essentials. Anxiety, depression are on the rise at an alarming rate. Now Peterborough is holding meetings to increase our property taxes between eight and 10 per cent. This is beyond inflation rates. Nothing is being done."
– Jennie Ireland, Peterborough, Ont.
The Canadian economy added a surprising 67,000 jobs in October and the unemployment rate ticked down to 6.9 per cent, Statistics Canada said on Friday, beating economists' expectations for the month.
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