Value Chain Management International (VCMI), an Oakville-based research and management consultancy, has released a new think piece examining the causes and consequences of food inflation in Canada between 2019 and 2025.
The full report “Food Inflation in Canada: Winners, Losers, and the Path Forward (2019–2025),” is available HERE; the executive summary can be accessed HERE.
The report reveals that the average Canadian food basket rose 34 per cent over six years, far outpacing general inflation. The sharp increase has disproportionately impacted low- and middle-income households, with the lowest-income families now spending nearly 30 per cent of their disposable income on food. Meanwhile, food insecurity has climbed to alarming levels, potentially affecting up to one in three Canadians.
“Our findings show that food inflation is not just an economic statistic — it is a social crisis,” said Dr. Martin Gooch, CEO of VCMI. “Lower-income Canadians are being squeezed hardest, while structural issues in the food system continue to fuel volatility.”